JP2007120444A - Oil pan - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inhibit scattering of lubrication oil caused by wind pressure or the like inside an oil pan. <P>SOLUTION: The oil pan 1 has a plurality of float members 9 disposed in the oil pan 1 connected with each other, floating on an oil level in the oil pan 1, and the oil level in the oil pan 1 is covered with the plurality of float members 9. The plurality of float members 9 thus individually make contact with the oil level in the oil pan so that the respective float members 9 can individually follow wave and swell of the whole oil level in the oil pan 1 without causing a gap between each float member and the oil level and scattering of the lubrication oil, which is generally caused by shaking of an engine or by wind pressure or the like in the inside of the oil pan 1, can be greatly reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an oil pan.

  In an internal combustion engine for automobiles, an oil pan is attached to the lower surface of a cylinder block. Lubricating oil flowing down into the crank chamber is collected by this oil pan and stored in a part of its deep bottom, and from here A so-called wet sump-type configuration is often employed in which the oil pump is sucked up by an oil pump through an oil strainer and pumped to each part.

  In such a configuration, in order to suppress the oscillation of the oil surface of the lubricating oil and to avoid interference between the crank rotation system and the lubricating oil and the accompanying mixing of air into the lubricating oil, an oil pan is generally used. A baffle plate is provided inside. The baffle plate is made of, for example, a metal plate obtained by press-forming a large number of oil dropping holes, and is fixed to the oil pan by welding or bolting.

  However, the oil level in the oil pan is not smooth due to engine shake, internal pressure during operation, and the like. In some cases, the lubricating oil diffuses and interferes with the crankshaft, resulting in a decrease in engine output. If the amount of oil increases or decreases, the positional relationship between the oil level and the baffle plate changes, and the amount of lubricating oil that interferes with the crankshaft changes, which in turn may change the engine output.

Further, in Patent Document 1, a single plate-like float that covers the oil level in the oil pan is disposed inside the oil pan, and this float is made to follow the movement of the oil level in the oil pan, to the oil. A technique for preventing air contamination is disclosed.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-53744

  However, in such Patent Document 1, although the float is not fixed to the oil pan and can move up and down in accordance with the behavior of the oil surface in the oil pan, the oil surface in the oil pan is plate-shaped. Therefore, if the gap between the single float and the oil surface is large, the engine will not be able to follow the oil surface in the oil pan. There is a risk that the scattering of the lubricating oil caused by shaking or the wind pressure inside the oil pan will increase.

  Therefore, in the oil pan of the present invention, a plurality of float members that are connected to each other and float on the oil surface in the oil pan are arranged in the oil pan, and the oil surface in the oil pan is covered by the plurality of float members. It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, since the plurality of float members are always in contact with the oil surface in the oil pan, each float member individually follows the rocking and undulation of the entire oil surface in the oil pan. As a result, there is no gap between each float member and the oil surface, and it is possible to greatly reduce the scattering of the lubricating oil caused by the engine vibration or the wind pressure inside the oil pan as a whole.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view schematically showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an oil pan 1 according to the present invention.

  The oil pan 1 is formed by press-molding a steel plate, one end side is a deep bottom portion 2, and the remaining portion is a shallow bottom portion 3. The bottom surfaces of the deep bottom portion 2 and the shallow bottom portion 3 are substantially flat surfaces. Further, a flange portion 4 is formed on the outer peripheral edge portion of the oil pan 1, and this flange portion 4 is bolted to the lower edge of the cylinder block 5.

  The lubricating oil 6 in the oil pan 1 is sucked by the oil pump 8 through the oil strainer 7 disposed in the deep bottom portion 2.

  In the oil pan 1, a plurality of float members 9 that are connected to each other and float on the oil surface in the oil pan 1 are arranged.

  Each float member 9 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, is made of a resin material having a specific gravity lighter than that of the lubricating oil 6, and is connected and fixed to the two locking members 10 and 10, respectively.

  More specifically, a plurality of locking members 10 are arranged in a lattice pattern in the oil pan 1, and as shown in FIG. 2, basically, so-called lattice points where the two locking members 10, 10 intersect. The float members 9 are respectively disposed on the two, and one float member 9 is attached to the two locking members 10 and 10. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the float member 9 is not arranged only around the pipe 11 connecting the oil strainer 7 and the oil pump 8 even at the lattice point position. Note that both ends of the plurality of locking members 10 are connected and fixed to the inner wall surface of the oil pan 1 above the bottom surface of the shallow bottom portion 3 of the oil pan 1 (upward in FIG. 1).

  These float members 9 cover the oil surface in the oil pan 1 from the deep bottom portion 2 to the shallow bottom portion 3. That is, the several float member 9 which covers the oil level in the oil pan 1 functions as what is called a baffle plate.

  In the oil pan 1 configured as described above, the surface of the lubricating oil 6 in the oil pan 1 is covered by a plurality of float members 9, and the oil surface of the lubricating oil 6 in the oil pan 1 is covered by the plurality of float members 9. Therefore, interference between the crankshaft (not shown) and the lubricating oil 6 can be prevented. Further, since the plurality of float members 9 are always in contact with the oil surface of the lubricating oil 6 in the oil pan 1, there is no gap between the float members 9 and the oil surface of the lubricating oil 6. Each float member 9 can individually follow the rocking and undulation of the entire oil surface in the oil pan 1, and the scattering of the lubricating oil 6 caused by the engine shaking and the wind pressure inside the oil pan 1 is greatly reduced. Can be reduced.

  FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This 2nd Embodiment differs in the cross-sectional shape of a float member with respect to 1st Embodiment mentioned above. That is, in the second embodiment, the float member 21 is formed in a cross-sectional shape in which the upper surface side is convex upward while the float member 21 is floating on the oil surface in the oil pan 1. In such 2nd Embodiment, in addition to the effect of 1st Embodiment mentioned above, the lubricating oil 6 scattered on the upper surface of the float member 21 can be quickly dropped to a lower oil sump.

  In each embodiment mentioned above, although locking member 10 is arranged in the shape of a lattice in oil pan 1, arrangement of locking member 10 is not limited to a lattice shape.

  Each float member 9 (21) is connected and fixed to two different locking members 10 and 10, respectively, but each float member 9 is fixed to the two locking members 10 and 10. For example, one float member 9 may be configured to be fixed only to one locking member 10, and one float member 9 may include three or more float members 9. You may comprise so that it may be fixed with respect to the locking member 10. FIG.

  Further, a plate-like general baffle plate may be interposed between the oil pan 1 and the lower edge of the cylinder block 5 so as to be provided with a plurality of float members 9 (21).

  The technical idea of the present invention that can be grasped from the above embodiment will be listed together with the effects thereof.

  (1) In the oil pan, a plurality of float members that are connected to each other and float on the oil surface in the oil pan are arranged in the oil pan, and the oil surface in the oil pan is covered by the plurality of float members. . As a result, since the plurality of float members are individually in contact with the oil surface in the oil pan, each float member can individually follow the swing and undulation of the entire oil surface in the oil pan. There is no gap between the float member and the oil surface, and it is possible to greatly reduce the scattering of the lubricating oil caused by the engine shake, the wind pressure inside the oil pan, or the like as a whole.

  (2) In the oil pan described in (1) above, the float member is attached to a wire-like locking member whose both ends are connected and fixed to the inner wall surface of the oil pan.

  (3) In the oil pan described in (1) or (2) above, the float member is formed in a cross-sectional shape in which the upper surface side is convex upward while floating on the oil surface in the oil pan. ing. As a result, the lubricating oil scattered on the upper surface of the float member can be quickly dropped into the lower oil reservoir.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Explanatory drawing which showed typically schematic structure of one Embodiment of the oil pan which concerns on this invention. Explanatory drawing equivalent to the top view of the A section of FIG. Explanatory drawing equivalent to the top view of the B section of FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows other embodiment of the oil pan which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Oil pan 9 ... Float member 10 ... Locking member

Claims (3)

  In the oil pan, a plurality of float members connected to each other and floating on the oil surface in the oil pan are arranged, and the oil surface in the oil pan is covered by the plurality of float members. .   An oil pan, wherein the float member is attached to a wire-like locking member whose both ends are connected and fixed to the inner wall surface of the oil pan.   3. The oil pan according to claim 1, wherein the float member is formed in a cross-sectional shape in which the upper surface side protrudes upward while floating on an oil surface in the oil pan. 4.

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