Stepped oil-cooler

Abstract

A lubricant heat exchanger may include a mounting portion and a heat exchanger portion. The mounting portion may be configured to engage a first end of a lubricant filter and may include a fluid passage in fluid communication with the lubricant filter. The heat exchanger portion may extend from the mounting portion and may be configured to at least partially surround a circumferential surface of the lubricant filter. The mounting portion may engage the first end of the lubricant filter and provide fluid communication between the heat exchanger portion and the lubricant filter. The heat exchanger portion may include a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid inlet and outlet being fluidly isolated from the lubricant filter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lubricant heat exchanger comprising:
 a mounting portion being configured to engage a first end of a lubricant filter and including a fluid passage in fluid communication with the lubricant filter; and   a heat exchanger portion extending from the mounting portion and configured to at least partially surround a circumferential surface of the lubricant filter, the mounting portion engaging the first end of the lubricant filter and providing fluid communication between the heat exchanger portion and the lubricant filter, the heat exchanger portion including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the fluid inlet and outlet being fluidly isolated from the lubricant filter.   
     
     
         2 . The lubricant heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion is disposed generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the circumferential surface. 
     
     
         3 . The lubricant heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger portion and the lubricant filter extend from the mounting portion in the same direction. 
     
     
         4 . The lubricant heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant filter is mounted directly to the mounting portion and the heat exchanger portion is integrally formed with the mounting portion. 
     
     
         5 . The lubricant heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion includes a central aperture through which oil communicates with the lubricant filter. 
     
     
         6 . The lubricant heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger portion includes a coolant passageway and a lubricant passageway, the coolant passageway being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and outlet in the heat exchanging portions, the lubricant passageway being in fluid communication with the lubricant filter. 
     
     
         7 . The lubricant heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein the heat exchanger portion includes first and second layers disposed directly adjacent and in heat transfer relation with each other, the coolant passageway and the lubricant passageway being at least partially defined by the second layer. 
     
     
         8 . The lubricant heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the lubricant passageway is in communication with first and second inlet passages in the mounting portion. 
     
     
         9 . A lubrication system including the lubricant heat exchanger of  claim 1  and further comprising a lubricant reservoir to which the lubricant heat exchanger is mounted. 
     
     
         10 . The lubrication system of  claim 9 , wherein the lubricant reservoir extends downward from an engine of a vehicle toward a ground upon which the vehicle is situated and the lubricant filter extends longitudinally downward from the lubricant heat exchanger toward the ground. 
     
     
         11 . The lubrication system of  claim 10 , wherein the lubricant reservoir extends further toward the ground than the lubricant filter such that the second end of the lubricant filter is sub-flush with a bottom surface of the lubricant reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . A lubrication system for a vehicle comprising:
 an oil reservoir extending downward from an engine of the vehicle toward a ground upon which the vehicle is normally situated;   an oil filter in fluid communication with the oil reservoir and having first and second ends and a circumferential surface disposed between the first and second ends; and   an oil heat exchanger including a heat exchanger portion and a mounting portion, the heat exchanger portion extending downward from the mounting portion toward the ground, the mounting portion engaging the first end of the oil filter such that the oil filter extends longitudinally downward therefrom toward the ground and provides fluid communication between the oil filter and the heat exchanger portion,   wherein the oil reservoir extends further toward the ground than the oil filter such that the second end of the oil filter is sub-flush with a bottom surface of the oil reservoir.   
     
     
         13 . The lubrication system of  claim 12 , wherein the heat exchanger portion at least partially surrounds the circumferential surface of the oil filter. 
     
     
         14 . The lubrication system of  claim 12 , wherein the oil filter is mounted directly to the oil heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The lubrication system of  claim 14 , wherein the oil filter is mounted directly to the mounting portion and the heat exchanger portion is integrally formed with the mounting portion. 
     
     
         16 . The lubrication system of  claim 12 , wherein the mounting portion includes a central aperture through which oil communicates with the oil filter. 
     
     
         17 . The lubrication system of  claim 12 , wherein the heat exchanger portion includes a heat-exchanging-fluid passageway and an oil passageway, the oil passageway being in fluid communication with the oil filter. 
     
     
         18 . The lubrication system of  claim 17 , wherein the oil heat exchanger includes first and second layers disposed directly adjacent and in heat transfer relation with each other, the heat-exchanging-fluid passageway and the oil passageway being at least partially defined by the second layer. 
     
     
         19 . The lubricant system of  claim 18 , wherein the oil passageway is in communication with first and second inlet passages in the mounting portion. 
     
     
         20 . The lubrication system of  claim 12 , wherein the oil heat exchanger includes a heat-exchanging-fluid inlet port and a heat-exchanging-fluid outlet port in fluid communication with the heat exchanger portion.