Patent Grant
9567880
An oil pan assembly configured to generate a vortex so as to de-aerate entrained oil is provided.
Oil pan assemblies are mounted to the bottom portion of an engine block and are used to capture oil distributed through the engine. An oil filter is attached to the oil pan assembly for removing particulates from the oil. The oil pan assembly may include an intake pipe. The intake pipe has an intake disposed adjacent the bottom of the oil pan.
A pump may also be attached to the intake pipe for recirculating the captured oil. The oil is directed throughout the engine. As oil is distributed throughout the engine, the oil is heated and subjected to force resulting from the operation of the engine. For instance, the operation of moving engine parts such as the chain, oil jet, and balancer aerates the oil. Thus, the oil is frothy and entrained when received and collected by the oil pan. As such, the pump may not effectively redistribute the entrained oil. Accordingly, it remains desirable to have an oil pan assembly wherein the entrained oil is de-aerated so as to achieve a liquid form optimal for distribution through the pump. For use herein, the term “de-aerated” refers to the process of removing air from the oil and the term “entrained” refers to a condition of the oil wherein air bubbles are introduced into the oil.
An oil pan assembly having a vortex generating unit configured to de-aerate entrained oil is provided. The oil pan assembly includes an oil pan mounted beneath the engine block. The oil pan assembly also includes an inner plate mounted to the oil pan so as to be disposed between the oil pan and a bottom surface of the engine block. The vortex generating unit is disposed on a top surface of the inner plate.
The vortex generating unit includes a first guide spaced apart from a second guide. A funnel is disposed between the spaced apart guides. The funnel includes a first mouth and a stem. The first mouth is conical. The first and second guides are generally arcuate ribs having generally the same length. The first and second guides have opposing ends which are offset from each other. Thus, oil hitting the outer surface of the first guide is directed into the second mouth and towards the inner surface of the second guide. The second guide directs the oil into the first mouth of the funnel at an angle so as to generate a vortex.
An engine assembly is also provided. The engine assembly includes an engine block. The engine block is tilted so as to direct oil towards the lower portion of the engine block. An oil pan assembly is mounted to the bottom of the engine block. The oil pan assembly is configured to collect oil coming off of the engine block.
The oil pan assembly includes a vortex generating unit configured to de-aerate entrained oil. The oil pan assembly includes an oil pan mounted beneath the engine block. The oil pan assembly also includes an inner plate mounted to the oil pan so as to be disposed between the oil pan and a bottom surface of the engine block. The vortex generating unit is disposed on a top surface of the inner plate.
The vortex generating unit includes a first guide spaced apart from a second guide. A funnel is disposed between the spaced apart guides. The funnel includes a first mouth and a stem. The first mouth is conical. The first and second guides are generally arcuate ribs having generally the same length. The first and second guides have opposing ends which are offset from each other so as to form a second mouth. Thus, oil hitting the outer surface of the first guide is directed towards the inner surface of the second guide. The second guide directs the oil into the first mouth of the funnel at an angle so as to generate a vortex.
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be better understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
An oil pan assembly and an engine assembly configured to generate a vortex so as to de-aerate entrained oil before reaching the pump are provided. The oil pan assembly is attached to the bottom of an engine block of an engine assembly.
With reference now to
With reference now to
The oil pan assembly 12 includes an oil pan 18. The oil pan 18 is attached to the casing 16 and is disposed beneath the engine block 14. The oil pan 18 includes a first side wall 20 and a floor 22. The first side wall 20 is generally disposed on a vertical plane. The floor 22 is generally disposed along a horizontal plane. The oil pan 18 further includes a front wall 24 opposite a back wall 26 and a lip 28. The lip 28 is opposite the first side wall 20 and is shorter relative to the first side wall 20. The peripheral edge of the oil pan 18 include a plurality of through holes to allow for a fastening device such as a bolt to secure the oil pan 18 to the bottom of the engine block 14.
The oil pan assembly 12 includes a vortex generating unit 30 configured to de-aerate entrained oil. The vortex generating unit 30 is disposed on an inner plate 32. The inner plate 32 is disposed within the casing 16 and between the oil pan 18 and the engine block 14. The inner plate 32 is mounted to the oil pan 18. The inner plate 32 has a peripheral edge 34. The peripheral edge 34 includes a front edge portion 34a, an elevated side portion 34b, a back wall portion 34c and a lower side portion 34d.
An intake pipe 36 is disposed within the casing 16 and between the inner plate 32 and the floor 22 of the oil pan 18. The intake pipe 36 includes an opening 36a through which oil is drawn into. A pump 38 is mounted to an outlet 36b of the intake pipe 36. The pump 38 is configured to generate a vacuum pressure to draw collected oil and recycle the oil through the engine block 14.
The inner plate 32 has a first panel 40. The first panel 40 includes a plurality of through holes for which bolts and attachment features may pass through so as to attach the oil pan assembly 12 to the engine block 14. The first panel 40 includes a top surface 40a opposite a bottom surface 40b. The top surface 40a is opposite the bottom surface 40b of the engine block 14 and the bottom surface 40b of the first panel 40 is opposite the floor 22 of the oil pan 18.
With reference now to
The inner plate 32 further may further include a top wall 44 disposed along a portion of a peripheral edge 34 of the top surface 40a of the first panel 40. Specifically, the top wall 44 is disposed along the lower side portion 34d of the peripheral edge 34 of the first panel 40 so as to catch oil draining from the elevated side portion 34b. The top wall 44 forms a catch preventing and slowing the flow of entrained oil to the intake pipe 36. The entrained oil is pooled along the top wall 44 and then spills over the exposed peripheral edge of the first panel 40 so as to allow the entrained oil additional time to de-aerate before reaching the intake pipe 36.
With reference again to
The first and second guides 46, 48 are ribs projecting from the top surface 40a of the inner plate 32. The first and second guides 46, 48 are generally arcuate and generally the same length. The first guide 46 is convex with respect to the second guide 48 which is concave so as to generally form halves of a circle, wherein each half of the circle is nonconcentric with respect to each other. Thus, the first end 46a of the first guide 46 is offset the first end 48a of the second guide 48 so as to form a second mouth 56. The second mouth 56 extends generally radially from the first end 46a of the first guide 46. The first end 46a of the first guide 46 touches the outer circumferential edge 56a of the second mouth 56 of the funnel 50.
The first end 46a of the first guide 46 may touch the outer circumferential edge of the funnel 50. Thus, oil hitting the outer surface of the first guide 46 is directed through the second mouth 56 towards the inner surface of the second guide 48. The second guide 48 directs the oil into the first mouth 52 of the funnel 50 at an angle so as to generate a vortex. As the entrained oil swirls along the first mouth 52, the entrained oil is de-aerated. Thus, air is separated from the oil and gravity directs the de-aerated oil into the stem 54, de-aerated oil collects along the inner surface of the stem 54 and drips in generally liquid form to the floor of the oil pan assembly 12 wherein the de-aerated oil is received by the intake pipe 36.
The top wall 44 includes a main top wall portion 44a and a side wall portion 44b forming a generally L-shaped profile which is easily seen in
In operation, the oil pan assembly 12 is configured to generate a vortex so as to de-aerate entrained oil prior to being received by the intake pipe 36. The first panel 40 is slanted so as to direct oil into the vortex generating unit 30, wherein the entrained oil enters the second mouth 56 and is directed towards the inner surface of the second guide 48. The second guide 48 directs the oil into the first mouth 52 of the funnel 50 at an angle so as to generate a vortex. As the entrained oil swirls along the first mouth 52, de-aerated oil collects along the inner surface of the stem 54 and drips in generally liquid form to the floor of the oil pan assembly 12 wherein the de-aerated oil is received by the intake pipe 36.
With reference again to
With reference now to
The oil pan assembly 12 includes an oil pan 18. The oil pan 18 is attached to the casing 16 and is disposed beneath the engine block 14. The oil pan 18 includes a first side wall 20 and a floor 22. The first side wall 20 is generally disposed on a vertical plane. The floor 22 is generally disposed along a horizontal plane. The oil pan 18 further includes a front wall 24 opposite a back wall 26 and a lip 28. The lip 28 is opposite the first side wall 20 and is shorter relative to the first side wall 20. The peripheral edge of the oil pan 18 include a plurality of through holes to allow for a fastening device such as a bolt to secure the oil pan 18 to the bottom of the engine block 14.
The oil pan assembly 12 includes a vortex generating unit 30 configured to de-aerate entrained oil. The vortex generating unit 30 is disposed on an inner plate 32. The inner plate 32 is disposed within the casing 16 and between the oil pan 18 and the engine block 14. The inner plate 32 is mounted to the oil pan 18. The inner plate 32 has a peripheral edge 34. The peripheral edge 34 includes a front edge portion 34a, an elevated side portion 34b, a back wall portion 34c and a lower side portion 34d.
An intake pipe 36 is disposed within the casing 16 and between the inner plate 32 and the floor 22 of the oil pan 18. The intake pipe 36 includes an opening 34a for which oil is drawn into. A pump 38 is mounted to an outlet 36b of the intake pipe 36. The pump 38 is configured to generate a vacuum pressure to draw collected oil and recycle the oil through the engine block 14.
The inner plate 32 has a first panel 40. The first panel 40 includes a plurality of through holes to accommodate structure such as balance shaft cover bolts. The first panel 40 includes a top surface 40a opposite a bottom surface 40b. The top surface 40a is opposite the bottom surface 40b of the engine block 14 and the bottom surface 40b of the first panel 40 is opposite the floor 22 of the oil pan 18.
With reference now to
The inner plate 32 further may further include a top wall 44 disposed along a portion of a peripheral edge of the top surface 40a of the first panel 40. Specifically, the top wall 44 is disposed along the lower side portion 34d of the peripheral edge 34 of the first panel 40 so as to catch oil draining from the upper side edge. The top wall 44 forms a catch preventing and slowing the flow of entrained oil to the intake pipe 36. The entrained oil is pooled along the top wall 44 and then spills over the exposed peripheral edge of the first panel 40 so as to allow the entrained oil additional time to de-aerate before reaching the intake pipe 36.
With reference again to
The first and second guides 46, 48 are ribs projecting from the top surface 40a of the inner plate 32. The first and second guides 46, 48 are generally arcuate and generally the same length. The first guide 46 is convex with respect to the second guide 48 which is concave so as to generally form halves of a circle, wherein each half of the circle is nonconcentric. Thus, the first end of the first guide 46 is offset the first end of the second guide 48 so as to place the second mouth 56 radially from the first end of the first guide 46. The first end 46a of the first guide 46 touches the outer circumferential edge 56a of the second mouth 56 of the funnel 50.
The first and second guides 46, 48 have opposing ends which are offset from each other so as to form a second mouth 56. The first end of the first guide 46 may touch the outer circumferential edge of the funnel 50. Thus, oil hitting the outer surface of the first guide 46 is directed through the second mouth 56 towards the inner surface of the second guide 48. The second guide 48 directs the oil into the first mouth 52 of the funnel 50 at an angle so as to generate a vortex.
The top wall 4446 includes a main top wall portion 44a and a side wall portion 44b forming a generally L-shaped profile which is easily seen in
In operation, the engine assembly 10 is configured to generate a vortex so as to de-aerate entrained oil prior to being received by the intake pipe 36. The first panel 40 is slanted so as to direct oil into the vortex generating unit 30, wherein the entrained oil enters the second mouth 56 and is directed towards the inner surface of the second guide 48. The second guide 48 directs the oil into the first mouth 52 of the funnel 50 at an angle so as to generate a vortex. As the entrained oil swirls along the first mouth 52, de-aerated oil collects along the inner surface of the stem 54 and drips in generally liquid form to the floor of the oil pan assembly 12 wherein the de-aerated oil is received by the intake pipe 36.
While particular embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, although various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described herein, such aspects need not be utilized in combination.
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