GB2508963A

GB2508963A - Blow-by gas mechanism for an engine

Info

Publication number: GB2508963A
Application number: GB201318274A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wei-Hsin Kuo; Meng-Lin Yu
Original assignee: Kwang Yang Motor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kwang Yang Motor Co Ltd
Priority date: 2012-11-22
Filing date: 2013-10-16
Publication date: 2014-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 2033-10-16
Also published as: TW201420873A; TWI568921B; GB2508963B; DE102013111396A1; DE102013111396B4; GB201318274D0

Abstract

An engine including a crankcase 3 that comprises a right-hand member 31, a left-hand member 32 and a right-hand crankcase cover (fig 3, 33). The right-hand side crankcase cover is set to cover and close an outside of the right-hand side crankcase member. A cylinder block is mounted on the crankcase and the crankcase includes a blow-by gas mechanism 5 including a labyrinth structure 51. The right-hand side crankcase member has one side facing the right-hand side crankcase cover and recessed in a direction toward the left-hand side crankcase member to form a cavity 311. The blow-by gas mechanism has a blow-by gas inlet 52, blow-by gas outlet 53 and a lubricant oil returning opening 54 within the cavity 311 in the right hand crankcase member. The labyrinth is formed by each member 31, 32 of the crankcase comprising a portion and forming the whole arrangement when the two members are connected. The right hand member of the crankcase comprises a clutch (fig 8, 7) mounted between the member and the cover. The oil outlet 54 of the blow-by mechanism can be located on a sidewall (fig 8, 3111) of the cavity 311.

Description

TITLE: BLOW-BY GAS MECHAThJTSM OF ENGINE

(a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a blow-by gas mechanism of an engine, and more particularly to an engine blow-gas mechanism that ensures the blow-by gas mechanism to achieve an effect of separation of lubricant vapor so as to allow the engine to reduce the emission of lubricant vapor and thus reduce the loss of lubricant and reduce the pollution caused by exhaust gas of the engine.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

An engine is a high-speed operation machine. To protect the components of an engine 1 (such as pistons, crankshafls, and camshafts) from damage caused by excessive contact friction, the engine 1 is provided with an oil lubrication system. The purpose of the oil lubrication system is to supply a lubricant to lubricate the components of the engine 1.

The operation of the engine 1 consistently generates heat and the lubricant oil will be vaporized to generate oil vapor. Such oil vapor is referred to as "blow-by gas". To prevent the blow-by gas from being directly discharged to the atmosphere and thus cause air pollution, a crankcase 11 of the engine 1 is often pmvidcd with a blow-by gas mechanism 2. The arrangement of the blow-by gas mechanism 2 is to achieve the object of separating the oil vapor of the lubricant oil.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the blow-by gas mechanism 2 is arranged at the rear side of a cylinder block 13. The blow-by gas mechanism 2 has a top to which an oil vapor discharge opening 21 is provided. The oil vapor discharge opening 21 is coupled to an air filter (not shown). The blow-by gas mechanism 2 comprises a. labyrinth structure 22 arranged therein, whereby with blocking and guiding realized with the labyrinth structure 22, a portion of the oil vapor of the lubricant oil that enters the blow-by gas mechanism 2 is allowed to condense and restore a liquid fomi of oil that flows through a lubricant oil returning opening 23 of the blow-by gas mechanism 2 back to the crankcase 11 for re-use. The remaining portion of the oil vapor of the lubricant oil is conducted thmugh the oil vapor discharge opening 21 to the air filter. As such, excessive pressure inside the crankcase 11, which is caused by the oil vapor of the lubricant oil and may influence the normal operation of the engine 1, can be avoided.

Referring further to FIG 2, the lubricant oil returning opening 23 of the blow-by gas mechanism 2 is generally arranged on a right-hand side case member 111 of the crankcase 11 in such a way that an outlet of the lubricant oil returning opening 23 of the blow-by gas mechanism 2 is set in a direction towards a lower side of the crankcase 11. However, the right-hand side case member 111 is arranged to receive a clutch 12 of the engine 1 therein. The operation direction of the clutch 12 is counterclockwise (as indicated by the arrow of FIG 2), so that the operation of the clutch 12 will cause the lubricant oil in the right-hand side case member ill to be flung outward. The lubricant oil so flung outward will, on the one hand, lubricate the clutch 12 and, on the other hand, fly everywhere inside the right-side case member 111 so as to lubricate other components that are arranged inside the right-hand side case ill. However, when the lubricant oil is flung by the operation of the clutch 12, the flying lubricant oil imposes a pressure to the lubricant oil returning opening 23 of the blow-by gas mechanism 2, making it difficult for the lubricant oil that is supposed to flow back thmugh the lubricant oil returning opening 23 of the blow-by gas mechanism 2 to flow smoothly back to the right-hand side case member ill for re-use. Further, a portion of the lubricant oil that is flung away by the clutch 12 will fly through the lubricant oil returning opening 23 of the blow-by gas mechanism 2 into the blow-by gas mechanism 2, making it difficult for the blow-by gas mechanism 2 to effectively cany out separation of lubricant vapor.

Thus, it is desired to improve the conventional engine blow-by gas mechanism and it is a challenge of the vehicle industry to provide an engine blow-by gas mechanism that is effective to achieve sepaition of tub jicant vapot

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to overcome the drawback of the conventional engine blow-by gas mechanism that is incapable of achieving effect separation of lubricant vapor.

The primary technical solution adopted in the present invention is to provide a blow-by gas mechanism of an engine, wherein the engine comprises a crankcase that comprises a right-hand side crankcase member, a left-hand side crankcase member, and a right-hand side crankcase covet The right-hand side crankcase cover is set to cover and close an outside of the right-hand side crankcase member. A cylinder block is mounted on the crankcase and the crankcase comprises a blow-by gas mechanism mounted thereon. The blow-by gas mechanism comprises a labyrinth stmcture. The right-hand side crankcase member has a side facing the right-hand side crankcase cover and recessed in a direction toward the left-hand side crankcase member to form a cavity. The blow-by gas mechanism has a lubricant oil returning opening that is arranged in the cavity The efficacy that the present invention can achieve by adopting such a technical solution is that the side of the right-hand side crankcase member that faces the right-hand side crankcase cover is recessed in a direction toward the left-hand side crankcase member to form a cavity and the blow-by gas mechanism has a lubricant oil returning opening arranged in the cavity in such a way that the lubricant oil returning opening of the blow-by gas mechanism is set inclined in the cavity of the right-hand side crankcase member and the lubricant oil retuntg opening of the blow-by gas mechanism is set in a forward direction of the rotation of the clutch that is mounted outside the cavity of the right-hand side crankcase cover so as to ensure the effect of separation of oil vapor by the blow-by gas mechanism thereby allowing the engine to reduce emission of lubricant oil vapor thus reducing the loss of the lubricant oil and reducing the pollution caused by the exhaust of the engine.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself; all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG 1 is a schematic view showing a conventional blow-by gas mechanism.

FIG 2 is a schematic view showing the conventional blow-by gas mechanism and a clutch.

FIG 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a crankcase of an engine according to the present invention.

FIG 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an engine according to the present invention.

FIG 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a blow-by gas mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG 6 is a schematic view showing an upper portion of a left-hand side crankcase member according to the present invention.

FIG 7 is a schematic view showing a right-hand side crankcase member according to the present invention.

FIG S is a schematic view showing the right-hand side cmnkcase member and a clutch according to the present invention.

DETAiLED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description piDvides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 3,4, and 6, an engine A according to the present invention comprises a crankcase 3 that comprises a right-hand side crankcase member 31, a left-hand side crankcase member 32, and a tight-hand side crankcase cover 33. The right-hand side crankcase cover 33 is set to cover and close an outer side of the right-hand side crankcase member 3!. A cylinder block 4 is mounted on the crankcase 3 and the cylinder block 4 comprises a cylinder head 41 mounted thereon. The crankcase 3 comprises a blow-by gas mechanismS mounted thereon. More specifically, the right-hand side crankcase member 31 and the left-hand side crankcase member 32 each carry and comprise a portion of the blow-by gas mechanism 5. Combining the right-hand side crankcase member 31 and the left-hand 1 0 side crankcase member 32 together allows a complete blow-by gas mechanism 5 to be formed on the crankcase 3, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Referring to FIGS, 3,4,5, and 6, the blow-by gas mechanism 5 comprises a labyrinth structure 51. The blow-by gas mechanism 5 has an oil vapor entrance opening 52 that is fomied inside the right-hand side crankcase member 31, namely being formed in a side of the right-hand side crankcase member 31 where the right-hand side crankcase member 31 is coupled to the lefi-hand side crankcase member 32 (as shown in FIG 5). The blow-by gas mechanism S has an oil vapor discharge opening 53, which is formed in a top side of the right-hand side crankcase member 31. The blow-by gas mechanism 5 has a lubricant oil returning opening 54, which is formed in an outer side of the right-hand side crankcase member 31. As shown in FiGS. 4 and 6, the oil vapor discharge opening 53 of the blow-by gas mechanismS has an outer end that is connected by a tube T to an intake-passage-included device 6.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, one side of the right-hand side crankcase member 31 facing the right-hand side crankcase cover 33 is recessed in a direction toward the left-hand side crankcase member 32 to form a cavity 311.

The cavity3li has abottorn 3112 and asidewall 3111. Thelubricantoil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanismS is arranged in the cavity 311. Preferably, the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 is formed in the sidewall 3111 of the cavity 311 and the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 is made in a direction that is inclined with respect to the cavity 311 of the right-hand side crankcase member 31, namely the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 is formed in a direction, which is set towards a rear side of crankcase 3 in the cavity 311 of the right-hand side crankcase member 31.

Referring to FIGS. 3,4, and 8, a clutch 7 is mounted outside the cavity 311 of the right-hand side crankcase member 31 and the rotation of the clutch 7 is made to carry out operation in the counterclockwise direction (as indicated by arrows in FIGS. 4 and 8), whereby the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanismS is made in a forward direction of the rotation direction of the clutch 7.

To practice the present invention, as shoi in FIGS. 3,4, 5, and 8, the lubricant oil vapor that is generated and accumulated inside the crankcase 3 due to the operation of the engine A is allowed to pass through the oil vapor entrance opening 52 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 into the labyrinth structure 5], whereby the lubricant oil vapor is guided and blocked by the labyrinth structure 51 to get condensed so that a portion of the lubricant oil lfl vapor is condensed back to lubricant oil. The condensed lubricant oil in the labyrinth structure 51 is allowed to flow through the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5, passing the outside the right-hand side crankcase member 31 to get back to the crankcase 3 for re-use.

The remaining, un-condensed lubricant oil vapor is guided by the labyrinth structureS! to be discharged through the oil vapor discharge opening 53 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 into the intake-passage-included device 6 to be collected and recycled. Further, the intake-passage-included device 6 drawing in the oil vapor helps reducing the lubricant oil vapor pressure built up in the crankcase 3.

Referring to FIGS. 4,7, and 8, the general idea of the present invention is that the side of the right-hand side crankcase member 31 facing the right-hand side crankcase cover 33 is recessed in a direction toward the left-hand side crankcase member 32 to form a cavity 311 and the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism S is arranged inside the cavity 311 in such a way that the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanismS is set in an inclined manner in the cavity 311 of the right-hand side crankcase member 31, whereby when the engine A is put into operation, the clutch 7 that is set outside the cavity 311 of the right-hand side crankcase member 31 is also in operation so as to fling the lubricant oil in the right-hand side crankcase member 31. Since the direction of the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 is set in the forward direction of the rotation of the clutch 7, at the lime when lubricant oil that is condensed in the labyrinth structure 51 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 intends to flow' through the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism back into the crankcase 3, the flow of the condensed lubricant oil inside the labyrinth structure 51 is allowed to move, generally not subjected to any hindrance and obstacle, from the right-hand sidc crankcase member 31 back into the crankcase 3. Further, since the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanismS is arranged in the cavity 311, lubricant oil that is flung away by the operation of the clutch 7 entering the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 and flowing into the labyrinth structure 51 can be avoided so as to ensure the effect of separation of oil vapor by the blow-by gas mechanism 5.

The efficacy of the present invention is that a right-hand side crankcase member 31 comprises a cavity 311 fonned in a side thereof coupled to a right-hand side crankcase cover 33 and a lubricant oil returning opening 54 of a blow-by gas mechanism S is arranged in the cavity 311 in such a way that the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 is set in an inclined manner in the cavity 311 of the right-hand side crankcase member 31, namely the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism S being set in the cavity 311 of the right-hand side crankcase member 31 in a direction toward a rear side of the crankcase 3 and the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 is set in a forward direction of the rotation of a clutch 7 mounted outside the cavity 311 of the right-hand side crankcase member 31, whereby lubricant oil condensed in a labyrinth structure 51 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 is allowed to flow smoothly, and being subject to no hindrance, from the right-hand side crankcase member 31 back into the crankcase 3. Further, with tile lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 being arranged in the cavity 311, lubricant oil that is flung by the operation of the clutch 7 flying into the lubricant oil returning opening 54 of the blow-by gas mechanism 5 to flow into the labyrinth structure 51 can be avoided so as to ensure the effect of separation of oil vapor by the blow-by gas mechanismS, allowing the engine A to effectively reduce emission of lubri cant oil vapor and thus reducing the loss of the lubricant oil and reducing pollution caused by the exhaust of the engine A. It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useftil application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

I CLAIM: 1. A blow-by gas mechanism of an engine, wherein the engine comprises a crankcase that comprises a right-hand side crankcase member, a left-hand side crankcase member, and a right-hand side crankcase cover, the right-hand side crankcase cover being set to cover and close an outside of the right-hand side crankcase member, a cylinder block being mounted on the crankcase, the crankcase comprising a blow-by gas mechanism mounted thereon, the blow-by gas mechanism comprising a abyrinth structure, characterized in that the right-hand side crankcase member has one side facing the right-hand side crankcase cover and recessed in a direction toward the left-hand side crankcase member to form a cavity, the cavity comprising a lubricant oil returning opening of the blow-by gas mechanism arranged therein.
2. The blow-by gas mechanism of the engine according to claim 1, wherein the right-hand side crankcase member and the left-hand side crankcase member each comprises a portion of the blow-by gas mechanism.
3. The blow-by gas mechanism of the engine according to claim 1, wherein the blow-by gas mechanism has an oil vapor entrance opening that is formed in the right-hand side crankcase member on a surthce the right-hand side crankcase member coupled to the left-hand side crankcase member.
4. The blow-by gas mechanism of the engine according to claim I, wherein the blow-by gas mechanism has an oil vapor discharge opening that has an outer end connected by a tube to a gas-drawing-passage-included device.
5. The blow-by gas mechanism of the engine according to claim I, whercin the lubricant oil returning opening of the blow-by gas mechanism is set in a direction that is inclined in the cavity of the right-hand side crankcase member.
6. The blow-by gas mechanism of the engine according to claim 1,2, 3, or 5, wherein the right-hand side crankcase member comprises a clutch mounted outside the cavity, the lubricant oil returning opening of the blow-by gas mechanism being set in a forward direction of the rotation of the clutch.
7. The blow-by gas mechanism of the engine according to claim 1, wherein the cavity comprises a sidewall and a bottom, the lubricant oil remming opening of the blow-by gas mechanism being formed inthesidewall.