Automotive fuel saver device

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said means for expanding and cooling said vapors includes an expansion chamber and a first orifice of first preselected size defined along said first conduit, said first orifice disposed adjacent said expansion chamber and along said first conduit between said condensate chamber and said expansion chamber, said expansion chamber being substantially larger in cross section than said first orifice, whereby said vapors are substantially converted to the aerosol state by expansion through said first orifice into said expansion chamber upon passage of said vapors through said first conduit from said crankcase to said fuel intake manifold of said fuel/air supply system.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2 wherein the ratio of the cross sectional area of said expansion chamber to the cross sectional area of said first orifice is about 16.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 further comprising a second conduit for interconnecting said crankcase in vapor flow communication with said fuel/air supply system, said second conduit having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof for operative connection to said crankcase and means defining an outlet at a second end thereof for operative connection to the air inlet of said fuel/air supply system, said second conduit having impedance to vapor flow generally smaller than that of said first conduit.

Claim 8

The system of claim 5 wherein said means for expanding and cooling said vapors includes first and second expansion chambers and first and second orifice of respective preselected first and second sizes defined within said first conduit, said first expansion chamber disposed near and generally above said inlet of said first conduit for trapping oil and particulate matter passing with said vapors from said crankcase and said second expansion chamber disposed near said outlet of said first conduit, said first orifice disposed adjacent said first expansion chamber between said inlet of said first conduit and said first expansion chamber and said second orifice disposed adjacent said second expansion chamber between said first expansion chamber and said second expansion chamber, said second expansion chamber being substantially larger in cross section than said second orifice, whereby said vapor is substantially converted to the aerosol state by simultaneous cooling and expansion of said vapors through said first orifice into said first expansion chamber and through said second orifice into said second expansion chamber upon passage of said vapors through said first conduit from said crankcase to said fuel intake manifold of said fuel/air supply system.

Claim 9

The system of claim 6 wherein the ratio of the cross sectional area of said second expansion chamber to the cross sectional area of said second orifice is about 16.

Claim 10

In an internal combustion engine having a substantially sealed crankcase and a fuel/air supply system including a throttle plate, an air inlet and fuel injection means, said engine including a system for withdrawing vapors from said crankcase and inserting said vapors into said fuel/air supply system for combustion within a combustion region of said engine, an improvement comprising: (a) a conduit interconnecting said crankcase in vapor flow communication with said fuel/air supply system, said conduit having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof operatively connected to said crankcase and means defining an outlet at a second end thereof operatively connected to the fuel intake manifold of said fuel/air supply system, whereby vapors are drawn from said crankcase through said conduit by action of a partial vacuum generated within said fuel intake manifold during operation of said engine; (b) said conduit including near said inlet means defining a condensate chamber disposed generally above said inlet for trapping oil and particulate matter passing with said vapors from said crankcase and for allowing said oil and particulate matter so trapped to fall by gravity back into said crankcase; and (c) means defined along said conduit between said condensate chamber and said outlet for simultaneously expanding and cooling said vapors substantially to an aerosol state during passage of said vapors through said conduit from said crankcase to said fuel intake manifold of said fuel/air supply system.

Claim 11

In an internal combustion engine having a substantially sealed crankcase and a fuel/air supply system including a throttle plate, an air inlet and fuel injection means, said engine including a system for withdrawing vapors from said crankcase and inserting said vapors into said fuel/air supply system for combustion within a combustion region of said engine, an improvement comprising: (a) a conduit interconnecting said crankcase in vapor flow communication with said fuel/air supply system, said conduit having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof operatively connected to said crankcase and means defining an outlet at a second end thereof operatively connected to the fuel intake manifold of said fuel/air supply system, whereby vapors are drawn from said crankcase through said conduit by action of a partial vacuum generated within said fuel intake manifold during operation of said engine; (b) said conduit including near said inlet means defining a condensate chamber disposed generally above said inlet for trapping oil and particulate matter passing with said vapors from said crankcase and for allowing said oil and particulate matter so trapped to fall by gravity back into said crankcase; and (c) means defined along said conduit between said condensate chamber and said outlet for simultaneously expanding and cooling said vapors substantially to an aerosol state during passage of said vapors through said conduit from said crankcase to said fuel intake manifold of said fuel/air supply system.

Claim 12

The engine of claim 8 wherein said means for simultaneously expanding and cooling said vapors includes an expansion chamber and a first orifice of preselected first size defined along said conduit, said first orifice disposed adjacent said expansion chamber and along said conduit between said condensate chamber and said expansion chamber, all expansion chamber being substantially larger in cross section than said first orifice, whereby said vapors are substantially converted to the aerosol state by expansion through said first orifice into said expansion chamber.

Claim 13

The engine of claim 9 wherein the ratio of the cross sectional area of said expansion chamber to the cross sectional area of said first orifice is about 16.

Claim 14

In a gasoline powered internal combustion engine having a substantially sealed crankcase and an air intake manifold including a throttle plate and an air inlet, said engine including a system for withdrawing vapors from said crankcase and inserting said vapors into said intake manifold for combustion within a combustion region of said engine, an improvement comprising: (a) a first conduit interconnecting said crankcase in vapor flow communication with said intake manifold, said first conduit having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof operatively connected to said crankcase and means defining an outlet at a second end thereof operatively connected to said intake manifold, whereby vapors are drawn from said crankcase through said first conduit by action of a partial vacuum generated within said intake manifold during operation of said engine; (b) a second conduit interconnecting said crankcase in vapor flow communication with said intake manifold, said second conduit having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof operatively connected to said crankcase and means defining an outlet at a second end thereof operatively connected to the air inlet of said intake manifold; and (c) means along said first conduit defining first and second expansion chambers and first and second orifices of respective preselected first and second sizes defined within said first conduit, said first expansion chamber disposed near and generally above said inlet of said first conduit for trapping oil and particulate matter passing with said vapors from said crankcase and for allowing said oil and particulate matter so trapped to fall by gravity back into said crankcase, and said second expansion chamber disposed near said outlet of said first conduit, said first orifice disposed adjacent said first expansion chamber between said inlet of said first conduit and said first expansion chamber and said second orifice disposed adjacent said second expansion chamber between said first expansion chamber and said second expansion chamber, and second expansion chamber being substantially larger in cross section than said second orifice, whereby said vapor is substantially converted to the aerosol state by simultaneous cooling and expansion of said vapors through said first orifice into said first expansion chamber and through said second orifice into said second expansion chamber upon passage of said vapors through said first conduit from said crankcase to said intake manifold.

Claim 15

In a gasoline powered internal combustion engine having a substantially sealed crankcase and an air intake manifold including a throttle plate and an air inlet, said engine including a system for withdrawing vapors from said crankcase and inserting said vapors into said intake manifold for combustion within a combustion region of said engine, an improvement comprising: (a) a first conduit interconnecting said crankcase in vapor flow communication with said intake manifold, said first conduit having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof operatively connected to said crankcase and means defining an outlet at a second end thereof operatively connected to said intake manifold, whereby vapors are drawn from said crankcase through said first conduit by action of a partial vacuum generated within said intake manifold during operation of said engine; (b) a second conduit interconnecting said crankcase in vapor flow communication with said intake manifold, said second conduit having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof operatively connected to said crankcase and means defining an outlet at a second end thereof operatively connected to the air inlet of said intake manifold; and (c) means along said first conduit defining first and second expansion chambers and first and second orifices of respective preselected first and second sizes defined within said first conduit, said first expansion chamber disposed near and generally above said inlet of said first conduit for trapping oil and particulate matter passing with said vapors from said crankcase and for allowing said oil and particulate matter so trapped to fall by gravity back into said crankcase, and said second expansion chamber disposed near said outlet of said first conduit, said first orifice disposed adjacent said first expansion chamber between said inlet of said first conduit and said first expansion chamber and said second orifice disposed adjacent said second expansion chamber between said first expansion chamber and said second expansion chamber, and second expansion chamber being substantially larger in cross section than said second orifice, whereby said vapor is substantially converted to the aerosol state by simultaneous cooling and expansion of said vapors through said first orifice into said first expansion chamber and through said second orifice into said second expansion chamber upon passage of said vapors through said first conduit from said crankcase to said intake manifold.

Claim 16

The engine of claim 11 wherein the ratio of the cross sectional area of said second expansion chamber to the cross sectional area of said second orifice is about 16.

Claim 17

The system of claim 2 further comprising means defining a second orifice of preselected second size near said inlet and between said inlet and said condensate chamber.

Claim 18

The engine of claim 9 further comprising means defining a second orifice of preselected second size near said inlet and between said inlet and said condensate chamber.