Cylinder block mounted two-pass oil cooler

Abstract

A water-to-oil heat exchanger or cooler operates to cool oil contained within an engine having a cylinder block. The cooler is removably attached to the cylinder block such that oil is communicated directly from the cylinder block to the cooler and from the cooler to the cylinder block. The cooler has a two-pass architecture.

1 . An engine comprising: 
 a cylinder block defining a first oil passage and a second oil passage;    a stacked plate oil cooler removably mounted directly to said cylinder block, said stacked plate oil cooler being in direct fluid communication said first and second oil passage;    wherein said stacked plate oil cooler is operable to receive oil directly from said first oil passage and said stacked plate oil cooler is operable to communicate said oil directly to said second passage;    wherein said stacked plate oil cooler operates to transfer heat energy from said oil within said stacked plate oil cooler to a cooling fluid within said stacked plate oil cooler; and    wherein said stacked plate oil cooler has a two-pass configuration.    
     
     
         2 . The engine of  claim 1 , wherein said stacked plate oil cooler includes a base plate, said base plate being operable to removably mount said stacked plate oil cooler directly to said cylinder block.  
     
     
         3 . The engine of  claim 2 , wherein said base plate defines a first port and a second port, said first port being operable to communicate oil from said first oil passage to said stacked plate oil cooler and said second port being operable to communicate oil from said stacked plate oil cooler to said second passage.  
     
     
         4 . The engine of  claim 3 , wherein said first and second ports are sealed with elastomeric o-rings.  
     
     
         5 . The engine of  claim 1 , wherein said stacked plate oil cooler further includes a top plate having a first and second fitting attached thereto, said first fitting being operable to communicate said cooling fluid to said stacked plate oil cooler and said second fitting being operable to communicate said cooling fluid away from said stacked plate oil cooler.  
     
     
         6 . The engine of  claim 1 , wherein said stacked plate oil cooler is removably mounted to said cylinder block by a plurality of fasteners.  
     
     
         7 . An oil cooler for an engine having a cylinder block, the oil cooler comprising: 
 a base plate;    at least one fastener operable to removably mount said base plate directly to the cylinder block of the engine;    a top plate; and    a plurality of plates disposed between said base plate and said top plate, said plurality of plates forming a multiple pass cooler configuration.    
     
     
         8 . The oil cooler of  claim 7 , wherein said base plate defines a first port and a second port, said first port being operable to communicate oil from the cylinder block to said cooler and said second port being operable to communicate oil from said cooler to the cylinder block.  
     
     
         9 . The oil cooler of  claim 8 , wherein said first and second ports are sealed with elastomeric o-rings.  
     
     
         10 . The oil cooler of  claim 7 , wherein said top plate includes a first and second fitting attached thereto, said first fitting being operable to communicate cooling fluid to said cooler and said second fitting being operable to communicate cooling fluid away from said cooler.  
     
     
         11 . An oil cooler for an engine having a cylinder block, the oil cooler comprising: 
 a base plate;    at least one fastener operable to removably mount said base plate directly to the cylinder block of the engine;    a top plate;    a plurality of plates disposed between said base plate and said top plate, said plurality of plates forming a two-pass cooler configuration;    wherein said base plate defines a first port and a second port, said first port being operable to communicate oil directly from the cylinder block to said cooler and said second port being operable to communicate said oil directly from said cooler to the cylinder block; and    wherein said top plate includes a first and second fitting attached thereto, said first fitting being operable to communicate cooling fluid to said cooler and said second fitting being operable to communicate said cooling fluid away from said cooler.    
     
     
         12 . The cooler of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second ports are sealed with elastomeric o-rings.