GB2541212A

GB2541212A - Cover assembly for connecting rod of an engine

Info

Publication number: GB2541212A
Application number: GB1514225.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Guisasola Inigo; Sies Florian
Original assignee: Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH
Current assignee: Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH
Priority date: 2015-08-12
Filing date: 2015-08-12
Publication date: 2017-02-15
Also published as: DE102016114609A1; GB201514225D0

Abstract

A cover assembly 132 for a connecting rod 114 of an engine 100 is provided. The connecting rod 114 has a first end 116 and a second end 118. The first end 116 is operatively coupled to a piston 110 of the engine 100 and the second end 118 is operatively coupled to a crankshaft 124 of the engine 100. The cover assembly 132 includes a cover member 134 coupled to the connecting rod 114. The cover member 134 is configured to at least partially cover the connecting rod 114 adjacent to the second end 118 thereof.

Description

COVER ASSEMBLY FOR CONNECTING ROD OF AN ENGINE Technical Field [0001] The present disclosure relates to an engine, and particularly to a cover assembly for reducing friction losses due to lubricating fluid in the engine.

Background [0002] A typical engine system includes an engine body having one or more casted components, such as a cylinder block, a cylinder head etc. One or more fluid passages are formed in the engine body for receiving and transporting lubricating oil and/or a coolant to relevant portions of the engine. The lubricating oil may be supplied to different bearing components and other moving components, such as a crankshaft, a connecting rod and the like. However, due to presence of oil mist in the crank case, a movement of counterweights associated with crankshaft and the connection rods in the mist needs substantial energy, which may decrease the efficiency of the engine.

[0003] For reference, U.S patent 7,617,810 discloses a casing that is provided to be disposed around at least a portion of a counterweight of a balance shaft in order to define a circumferential surface surrounding the counterweight which has a generally constant radius relative to the axis of rotation. The function of the casing is to reduce or eliminate aeration of oil in which the balance shaft is disposed.

Summary [0004] In an aspect of the present disclosure, a cover assembly for a connecting rod of an engine is provided. The connecting rod has a first end and a second end. The first end is operatively coupled to a piston of the engine and the second end is operatively coupled to a crankshaft of the engine. The cover assembly includes a cover member coupled to the connecting rod. The cover member is configured to at least partially cover the connecting rod adjacent to the second end thereof.

[0005] In another aspect of the present disclosure, an engine is provided. The engine includes a cylinder member and a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder member. The piston has a free end. The engine also includes a connecting rod having a first end and a second end. The first end of the connecting rod is coupled to the free end of the piston. The engine also includes a crankshaft coupled to the second end of the connected rod. The engine also includes a cover assembly. The cover assembly includes a cover member coupled to the connecting rod. The cover member is configured to at least partially cover the connecting rod adjacent to the second end thereof.

[0006] Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings [0007] FIG. 1 illustrates a partial sectional view of an exemplary engine showing a cover member for a connecting rod of the engine, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; [0008] FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom view of the engine showing the cover member, in accordance with one another embodiment of the present disclosure; and [0009] FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of the engine showing the cover member, in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description [0010] FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of an engine 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The engine 100 may be any type of engine 100, such as internal combustion engine run by gasoline, diesel, gaseous fuel, or a combination thereof. The engine 100 may be used as a source of power for any machine (not shown), such as, on-highway trucks or vehicles, off-highway trucks or machines, earth moving equipment, pumps, stationary equipment, generators, and the like. Accordingly, the engine 100 may also be used to power machines or devices used in construction, transportation, power generation, aerospace applications, locomotive applications, marine applications, and other engine powered applications.

[0011] The engine 100 is illustrated as a V-Type internal combustion engine 100, having a plurality of cylinder members 108. However, various embodiments and aspects of the present disclosure may be suitably applicable to any type of engine 100 having a single cylinder or multiple cylinder members in any other alternative configurations, such as in-hne, radial and the like.

[0012] The engine 100 includes a cylinder block 102. The cylinder block 102 includes the cylinder members 108, one of which is labeled via reference numeral 108. It may be apparent to a person ordinarily skilled in the art that certain components of the engine 100, such as camshafts, fuel injectors, valves, etc., are omitted from FIG. 1. Each of the cylinder members 108 includes a piston 110 slidably received therein. The engine 100 also includes a connecting rod 114 having a first end 116 and a second end 118. The first end 116 is coupled to a free end 112 of the piston 110.

[0013] The engine 100 also includes a crank case 122 coupled to the cylinder block 102. The crank case 122 may be configured to rotatably support a crankshaft 124. The crankshaft 124 is coupled to the second end 118 of the connecting rod 114. In an embodiment, the crankshaft 124 includes crankpins (not shown) configured to couple each of the connecting rods 114 to the crankshaft 124. With such an implementation, a rotational movement of the crankshaft 124 causes a sliding movement of one or more of the pistons 110 inside the corresponding cylinder members 108.

[0014] The crankshaft 124 may include at least one counterweight 128 located adjacent to the second end 118 of the connecting rod 114. The counterweights 128 may be configured to rotate along with the crankshaft 124. In an embodiment, the crankshaft 124 includes multiple bearing journals that are aligned longitudinally along the crankshaft 124. Each of the counterweights 128 may be secured to the crankshaft 124 on each side of the bearing journals. Each of the counterweights 128 has a center of gravity at an offset from an axis of rotation of the crankshaft 124. The counterweights 128 may be configured to counteract unbalanced forces acting during operation of the engine 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting rods 114 for the corresponding pair of cylinder members 108 on both the cylinder banks may be coupled between the two counterweights 128.

[0015] The engine 100 may also include an oil pan (not shown) configured to store the lubricating fluid therein. In an example, the lubricating fluid may be oil. In an embodiment, the oil pan may be disposed below the crankshaft 124. The engine 100 may define one or more fluid passages configured to allow a passage of a lubricating oil therethrough. The fluid passage may be configured to receive a lubricating oil therethrough and allow it to reach bearing components or other moving components, such as the pistons 110, a camshaft, the crankshaft 124 and the like.

[0016] The fluid passages may be configured to communicate with the bearing components and other engine moving components in such a manner to communicate the fluid, for example, lubrication oil from the oil pan. The oil pan collects the lubricating fluid necessary for lubricating engine moving components. The lubricating fluid in the oil pan may be pumped and allowed to pass through the fluid passages. It should be understood that there may be any number of the fluid passages that are formed at least partly in various portions of the engine 100, such as, the cylinder block 102, the crank case 122 and the like.

[0017] In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the engine 100 includes a cover assembly 132 for the connecting rods 114. The cover assembly 132 includes a cover member 134 coupled to the connecting rod 114. The cover member 134 is configured to at least partially cover the connecting rod 114 adjacent to the second end 118 thereof. In an embodiment, the cover member 134 may be coupled to the connecting rod 114 using fasteners such as, screws, bolts and the like. Additionally or optionally, the cover member 134 may be coupled to the connecting rod 114 using an adhesive.

[0018] In an embodiment, the cover member 134 may include multiple segments that may be coupled to the connected rod. Further, the segments may also be suitably coupled to each other using fasteners, adhesives and the like. Alternatively, the cover member 134 may has a unitary construction.

[0019] In an example, the cover member 134 may have a smooth outer surface. Further, an outer surface of the cover member 134 is configured to direct a lubricating fluid into the oil pan of the engine 100.

[0020] In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, the cover member 134 is elliptical in shape. In another embodiment, the cover member 134 may have circular shape. However, the cover member 134 may embody any other shapes based on other parameters, such as a shape of the connecting rod 114, tolerances between different components of the engine 100 and the like. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cover member 134 may include a peak shape structure 138 adjacent to at least one end thereof. The peak shaped structure 138 may provide guidance for the lubricating oil to the oil pan. Moreover, such a shape of the cover member 134 may also reduce aerodynamic forces acting thereon. In yet another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the cover member 134 may not include the peak shaped structure 138.

[0021] In an embodiment, the cover member 134 may be made of sheet metal. In another embodiment, the cover member 134 may be made of plastic. In other embodiments, the cover member 134 may be made of any other light weight materials, such as polymers, composites and the like. Alternatively, the cover member 134 may be implemented as a coating on the corresponding component.

Industrial Applicability [0022] The present disclosure relates to the cover assembly 132 for the connecting rod 114. The cover member 134 of the cover assembly 132 is configured to at least partially cover the connecting rod 114. Further, the outer surface of the cover member 134 may be configured to direct the lubricating fluid from the connecting rod 114 to the oil pan. Further, the cover member 134 may reduce aerodynamic forces such as, lift force, drag force and the like due to a flow of the lubricating fluid or a mist of the fluid thereon. As such, a resistance to a movement of the connecting rod 114 due to the lubricating fluid may be reduced.

[0023] Further, the cover member 134 may be made of light weight materials such as, plastic, sheet metal, polymers and the like. Additionally, the cover member 134 may be implemented on the existing engines with little or no modification to other components of the engine 100. Moreover, dimensions and a shape of the cover member 134 may be customized to suit different applications.

[0024] While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1. A cover assembly (132) for a connecting rod (114) of an engine (100), the connecting rod (114) having a first end (116) and a second end (118), the first end (116) operatively coupled to a piston (110) of the engine (100) and the second end (118) operatively coupled to a crankshaft (124) of the engine (100), the cover assembly (132) comprising a cover member (134) coupled to the connecting rod (114), the cover member (134) configured to at least partially cover the connecting rod (114) adjacent to the second end (118) thereof.

2. The cover assembly (132) of claim 1, wherein the cover member (134) is made of one of a sheet metal and a plastic.

3. The cover assembly (132) of claim 1, wherein the cover member (134) has an outer surface configured to direct a lubricating fluid into an oil pan of the engine (100).

4. The cover assembly (132) of claim 1, wherein the cover member (134) has an outer surface configured to reduce aerodynamic forces.

5. The cover assembly (132) of claim 1, wherein the cover member (134) is elliptical in shape.

6. The cover assembly (132) of claim 1, wherein the cover member (134) is coupled to the connecting rod (114) using at least one of an adhesive and a fastener.

7. The cover assembly (132) of claim 1, wherein the cover member (134) has a peak shape (138) adjacent to at least one end thereof.

8. An engine (100) comprising: a cylinder member (108); a piston (110) slidably disposed in the cylinder member (110), the piston (110) having a free end (112); a connecting rod (114) having a first end (116) and a second end (118), the first end (116) coupled to the free end (112) of the piston (110); a crankshaft (124) coupled to the second end (118) of the connecting rod (114); and a cover assembly (132) comprising a cover member (134) coupled to the connecting rod (114), the cover member (134) configured to at least partially cover the connecting rod (114) adjacent to the second end (118) thereof.

9. The engine (100) of claim 8, wherein the cover member (134) is made of one of a sheet metal and a plastic.

10. The engine (100) of claim 8, wherein the cover member (134) has an outer surface configured to reduce aerodynamic forces.

11. The engine (100) of claim 8, wherein the cover member (134) has an outer surface configured to direct a lubricating fluid into an oil pan of the engine (100).

12. The engine (100) of claim 8, wherein the cover member (134) is elliptical in shape.

13. The engine (100) of claim 8, wherein the cover member (134) is coupled to the connecting rod (114) using at least one of an adhesive and a fastener.

14. The engine (100) of claim 8, wherein the cover member (134) has a peak shape (138) adjacent to at least one end thereof.

15. A machine comprising the engine (100) of claim 8.