Corrosion guard

[0001] The present application claims priority of the provisional application having Ser. No. 60/555,869 filed on Mar. 24, 2004 entitled Corrosion Guard.

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates generally to the field of automotive cooling systems and, more particularly, to a corrosion guard comprising a fitting insertable into a cooling system hose and having a boss for a removable sacrificial anode.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Metal parts in automotive cooling systems, such as radiators, heater cores, intake manifolds, timing chain covers and freeze plugs deteriorate due to corrosion created by the cooling fluids. The advancement of engine design using greater quantities of aluminum alloys for these components has exacerbated the corrosion issue. Galvanic corrosion is a significant contributor to the overall corrosion load experience by cooling system components of dissimilar metal alloys. Current corrosion protection techniques include the use of chemical additives and coolants in the cooling circulation loop.

[0006] Hot water heaters, compressor systems and certain heat exchanger systems employ sacrificial anode systems to reduce galvanic corrosion effects. Exemplary of this prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,770,117 to Keller, et al. issuing on Aug. 4, 2004 and entitled Cathodic Protection System for Air Compressor Tanks. Direct modification of existing automotive cooling systems to accommodate insertion of such sacrificial anodes into the components directly is not feasible due to the cost and complexity of such modifications.

[0007] It is therefore desirable to provide a corrosion guard which is easily retrofitted to existing automotive cooling systems without requiring excessive modification.

[0008] It is further desirable that corrosion guard employ removable sacrificial anodes to allow replacement as necessary.

[0009] The present invention provides corrosion guard for insertion in a cooling system hose having a body with a central cavity and two hose connections extending from the body and communicating with the central cavity. A flange in the body removably receives a sacrificial anode to extend into the central cavity and a threaded stud is provided for connecting the body to an electrical ground with an appropriate grounding wire.

[0013] Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of the invention for a standard automotive application. The corrosion guard 10 includes a body 12, which for the embodiment shown is substantially cylindrical, with an inner cavity 14. Hose mating stubs 16 extend from each side of the body to act as hose connections received in a cooling hose, as will be described in greater detail subsequently. A flange 18 extends from the body and incorporates a threaded bore 20. A sacrificial anode 22 attached to a threaded plug 24 is received within the bore of the flange and extends into the cavity of the body to be maintained in the flow of coolant. While for the embodiment shown in the drawings, the bore is threaded, alternative embodiments employ an extended neck on the flange with external threads to accept a cap with internal threads.

[0014] A grounding stud 26 extends from the body for electrical connection to a grounding element on the vehicle or cooling system components. The drawings show a threaded stud to accept a wing nut 28 or other securing mechanism for attachment of ground wire 30 to the stud. The stud in the embodiment shown is received in a second threaded bore 32 in the body. Alternative means of attachment for the grounding stud to the body or a direct ground wire attachment providing acceptable electrical connection are employed in other embodiments of the invention.

[0015] For an exemplary application of the invention, the corrosion guard body is brass 2¼ inch O.D. tubing 1½ inches in length. The hose connections are 1 5/16 inch O.D. brass tubing of approximately 1¾ inch length inserted approximately ¼ inch into the I.D. of the tubing of the body leaving a central cavity in the body and extending 1½ inch from the body. The hose connections are brazed into the body for leak tight connection in the embodiment shown. Threaded connection is employed in alternative embodiments. The flange is a ½ inch brass pipe flange brazed into a receiving bore in the body and an E-2 zinc anode is employed. In an exemplary embodiment, an anode and plug custom produced by Conex Metals of Bombay, India, having a business address of 39-41.2-F, 9. Yusuf Bldg. A. R. Street, Bombay 400 003 INDIA and an administrative office address of 1406, 14^th Floor, Dalamal Towers, Nariman Point. Bombay—400 021 INDIA, has proved effective. Alternative anodes from ⅛ to ½ inch and in varying lengths are employed in other applications with appropriate modification of the flange to accept the altered size. The grounding stud is a ¼×20½ inch N/C brass stud and a brass wing nut is employed. Alternative thread pitch and diameter are employed in other embodiments. A 5 foot ground wire, which may be cut to appropriate size, allows attachment of the stud to an appropriate ground. In alternative embodiments, the body and hose connections are machined as a single part or as multiple parts from brass stock.

[0016] An example of a standard automotive installation of the corrosion guard incorporating the present invention as described above is accomplished by parting the radiator inlet hose or the heater inlet hose (from the water pump or radiator to the heater) and inserting the hose connections extending from the body into the hose ends using a hose clamp to seal the hose ends to the brass tubes. An exemplary embodiment of the invention has been retrofit onto a 1998 Chevrolet 1-ton pickup with a 7.4 liter engine. Test results indicate that deterioration of aluminum engine parts has been arrested based on the installation of the invention.

[0017] Having now described the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications and substitutions to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications are within the scope and intent of the present invention as defined in the following claims.