JP2008038840A - Engine lubricating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an engine lubricating device for further quickening the supply of lubricating oil to a bearing at restating. <P>SOLUTION: A lowest point 7a of a main gallery 7 is located lower than a highest point 8a of the bottom of an oil flow-out passage 8 and a highest point of the bottom of an oil flow-in passage on the upstream side of the main gallery 7. The oil flow-out passage 8, the oil flow-in passage and the main gallery 7 constitute an oil reservoir part. The oil reservoir part prevents the flow of lubricating oil 20 out of the main gallery 7 during stopping an engine 1 and quickens the supply of the lubricating oil to the bearing at restarting. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an engine lubrication device, and more particularly to an engine lubrication device in which lubricity is taken into consideration when the engine is restarted after being stopped for a long time.

  Since the lubricating oil of the bearing that supports the main journal of the crankshaft of the engine flows down to the oil pan while the engine is stopped, it is desirable to supply the lubricating oil quickly at the restart after a long stop. In order to quickly perform the lubrication at the time of restarting, a structure in which the oil filter mounting portion is disposed below the oil pump discharge port and the main gallery has been proposed (Patent Document 1). According to this configuration, the state in which the lubricating oil is filled in the oil filter while the engine is stopped is maintained, so that the lubricating oil in the oil filter flows down while the engine is stopped. Can be quickly supplied to the main journal.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-147809

  However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, since the lubricating oil in the main gallery flows out to the oil filter or the main journal when the engine is stopped, the lubricating oil is still supplied to the bearing of the main journal from the oil filter to some extent. There is a delay. In particular, when a rolling bearing is used as the bearing, the flow of the lubricating oil is promoted more easily than when a so-called journal bearing using a plain metal is used.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to further speed up the supply of lubricating oil to the bearing at the time of restart.

  An engine lubrication apparatus according to the present invention is an engine lubrication apparatus comprising: a bearing that supports a main journal of a crankshaft; and a main gallery that forms a lubricating oil supply path to the bearing in parallel with the bearing. The apparatus further comprises means for preventing the lubricant from flowing out from the main gallery while the engine is stopped.

  In the present invention, since the means for preventing the lubricating oil from flowing out from the main gallery while the engine is stopped is provided, the lubricating oil can be supplied to the bearing more quickly when the engine is restarted after a long stop. It becomes possible.

  Preferably, the means for preventing the outflow includes an oil outflow path connecting the main gallery and the bearing, and an oil inflow path connected to the upstream side of the main gallery, the oil outflow path, the oil inflow path, and the main gallery. Constitutes an oil reservoir.

  Preferably, the lowest point of the bottom of the main gallery is disposed below the highest point of the bottom of the oil outflow path and the highest point of the bottom of the oil inflow path. In these cases, the desired effect of the present invention can be obtained with a simple configuration. In this specification, the terms “lower”, “upper”, “maximum”, “minimum”, and “height” all mean the distance from the horizontal plane.

  Preferably, an oil filter is connected to the upstream side of the oil inflow passage, and the lowest point of the main gallery is disposed below the lowest point of the oil filter outlet to be connected to the oil inflow passage. In this case, if both of them are lower than the highest point at the bottom of the oil outflow path, the lowest of the oil filter outlet and the highest point at the bottom of the oil inlet path, whichever is higher, is lubricated. It can be set as the oil level at the time of holding oil, and the holding amount can be increased.

  Preferably, the lowest point of the inlet of the oil filter that receives lubricating oil from the oil pump is disposed above the lowest point of the outlet, and the lowest point of the bottom of the main gallery is the highest point of the bottom of the oil outlet. And below the lowest point of the inlet of the oil filter. When the engine is stopped, the lubricating oil level near the main gallery is the lower of the oil outlet and the bearing connection and the oil filter inlet, so the lowest point of the oil filter inlet Since the oil level is raised above the lowest point of the discharge port, the oil level is raised, the inside of the oil filter can be used as an oil reservoir, and a large amount of lubricating oil can be retained.

  The engine lubrication device of the present invention includes a replenishment oil reservoir provided above the lowest point of the main gallery, a replenishment passage connecting the replenishment oil reservoir and the main gallery, a valve for opening and closing the replenishment passage, Drive means for driving the valve to open when it is cold may be further provided. In this case, when the valve is opened in the cold state by the driving means, the lubricating oil in the replenishing oil reservoir is supplied from the replenishing passage to the main gallery. Therefore, even if the lubricating oil in the main gallery decreases for some reason after the engine stops, initial lubrication can be promoted when restarting after a short engine stop.

  The driving means preferably includes a driving member made of a shape memory material. In this case, the desired effect of the present invention can be obtained with a simple configuration.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, an engine 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a four-cycle gasoline engine having a fuel injection valve (not shown), and has a crankshaft 2. The crankshaft 2 is connected to a piston (not shown) by a connecting rod (not shown). The crankshaft 2 is rotatably held in the crank chamber 5 by a main cap 3 and a bearing 4 in the main journal. The bearing 4 is a needle bearing.

  A crank chamber 5 is defined by the crank upper case 6a and the crank lower case 6b. A main gallery 7 is formed in the crank upper case 6a. The main gallery 7 constitutes a lubricating oil supply path to the bearing 4. The main gallery 7 is straight and has a circular cross section, and is arranged in parallel with and parallel to the crankshaft 2. The main gallery 7 is connected to the bearing 4 by an oil outflow passage 8 having a straight shape and a circular cross section.

  The highest point 8a at the bottom of the oil outflow passage 8 is the lowest point of the connecting portion 4a between the oil outflow passage 8 and the bearing 4, and the lowest point 7a of the main gallery 7 is disposed below the highest point 8a. Yes. The entire oil outflow path 8 has a monotonous upward slope from the main gallery 7 toward the highest point 8a.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an oil inflow passage 9 is connected to the upstream side of the main gallery 7. The oil inflow passage 9 is circular in cross section, and an outlet 11 of the oil filter 10 is connected to the upstream side thereof. A head-side passage 12 leading to the inside of the cylinder head H (see FIG. 1) is branched and connected to an intermediate portion of the oil inflow passage 9. The highest point 9a at the bottom of the oil inflow passage 9 and the lowest point 11a of the discharge port of the oil filter 10 are arranged at the same height, and the lowest point 7a at the bottom of the main gallery 7 is the highest point. 9a, which is arranged below the lowest point 11a. The oil outflow path 8, the oil inflow path 9, and the main gallery 7 constitute an oil storage portion for preventing the lubricating oil from flowing out from the main gallery 7 when the engine 1 is stopped.

  The lowest point 7 a of the main gallery 7 and the lowest point 11 a of the discharge port 11 of the oil filter 10 are both disposed below the highest point 8 a at the bottom of the oil outlet 8.

  A discharge side of the oil pump 14 is connected to the inlet 13 of the oil filter 10, and a suction pipe 15 is connected to the suction side of the oil pump 14. A strainer is provided at the lower end of the suction pipe 15, and this strainer faces an oil pan 16 that is the bottom surface of the crank lower case 6b.

  The main gallery 7 has a larger diameter than the oil outflow path 8 and the oil inflow path 9. For example, the main gallery 7 has a diameter of 8 mm, and the oil outflow path 8 and the oil inflow path 9 have a diameter of 4 mm.

  In the present embodiment configured as described above, the oil pump 14 operates during the operation of the engine 1, whereby the suction pipe 15, the oil filter 10, the oil inflow path 9, the main gallery 7, the oil outflow path 8, All of the lubricating oil supply path including the head side passage 12 is filled with the lubricating oil 20, and each part of the engine 1 is lubricated by supplying the lubricating oil through the lubricating oil supply path.

  When the engine 1 is stopped, with the oil pump 14 stopped, a portion of the lubricating oil 20 in the lubricating oil supply path that can flow down flows down to the oil pan 16 due to free fall. Here, in this embodiment, since the oil outflow path 8, the oil inflow path 9, and the main gallery 7 constitute an oil storage section, the oil storage section allows the engine gallery 7 to stop from the main gallery 7 while the engine 1 is stopped. The outflow of the lubricating oil 20 is prevented. In the present embodiment, the highest point 9a of the oil inflow passage 9 and the lowest point 11a of the discharge port 11 of the oil filter 10 are made equal to each other, and both are higher than the highest point 8a at the bottom of the oil outflow passage 8. Therefore, the height of the oil level of the lubricating oil held in the oil reservoir is generally the highest point 9a of the oil inlet 9 and the lowest of the outlet 11 of the oil filter 10 as shown by the reference L1 in FIG. The height is equal to the point 11a.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the oil outflow path 8, the oil inflow path 9, and the main gallery 7 constitute an oil storage section, and the oil storage section allows the lubricating oil from the main gallery 7 to be stopped while the engine 1 is stopped. Therefore, when the engine 1 is restarted after being stopped for a long time, the lubricating oil 20 held in the oil reservoir within a predetermined range including the main gallery 7 is transferred to the bearing 4 within a very short time. The supply of the lubricating oil 20 can be further speeded up.

  In the present embodiment, as means for preventing the lubricating oil 20 from flowing out of the main gallery 7 while the engine 1 is stopped, an oil storage section including the oil outflow path 8, the oil inflow path 9, and the main gallery 7 is employed. In addition, since the lowest point 7a at the bottom of the main gallery 7 is disposed below the highest point 8a at the bottom of the oil outflow passage 8 and the highest point 9a at the bottom of the oil inflow passage 9, the present invention is intended to have a simple configuration. The effect of can be obtained.

  In this embodiment, since the lowest point 7a of the main gallery 7 is arranged below the lowest point 11a of the discharge port 11 of the oil filter 10, both of them are higher than the highest point 8a at the bottom of the oil outflow passage 8. In the case of low, the higher one of the lowest point 11a of the discharge port 11 of the oil filter 10 and the highest point 9a of the bottom of the oil inflow passage 9 can be set as the oil level when holding the lubricating oil, The holding amount can be increased.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the lowest point 113 a of the inlet 113 of the oil filter 110 that receives the lubricating oil 20 from the oil pump 14 is disposed above the lowest point 11 a of the outlet 11. The lowest point 113 a of the inlet 113 of the oil filter 110 is set lower than the highest point 8 a at the bottom of the oil outflow path 8. Further, the lowest point 9b on the bottom surface of the oil inflow passage 9 and the lowest point 11a of the discharge port 11 of the oil filter 110 are set lower than the lowest point 7a on the bottom of the main gallery 7, but these lowest points 9b, 11a May be above the lowest point 7a at the bottom of the main gallery 7 as long as it is below the highest point 8a at the bottom of the oil outflow passage 8. Since the remaining configuration of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted.

  In the second embodiment configured as described above, since the lowest point 113a of the inlet 113 of the oil filter 110 is set lower than the highest point 8a at the bottom of the oil outflow path 8, the main point during the stop of the engine 101 is maintained. The height of the oil surface of the lubricating oil 20 in the vicinity of the gallery 7 is substantially equal to the lowest point 113a of the inlet 113 of the oil filter 10, as indicated by reference numeral L2 in FIG. As a result, when the engine 1 is stopped, the oil is filled in the region of the oil filter 110 within the oil level height L2 or less.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, since the lowest point 113a of the inlet 113 of the oil filter 110 is disposed above the lowest point 11a of the outlet 11, the inside of the oil filter 110 can be used as an oil reservoir. A large amount of lubricating oil can be retained.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The third embodiment shown in FIG. 4 includes a replenishment oil storage 51 that stores lubricating oil to be supplied to the main gallery when cold. The replenishment oil reservoir 51 is formed above the lowest point 7 a of the main gallery 7, specifically at the upper end surface of the cylinder and at the boundary with the cylinder head H. A portion of the lubricating oil that flows down inside the cylinder head H is accommodated in the replenishing oil reservoir 51.

  The replenishment oil reservoir 51 and the main gallery 7 are connected by a replenishment passage 52. The replenishment passage 52 constitutes a return passage for the lubricating oil, and a valve mechanism 53 for opening and closing the replenishment passage 52 is disposed at an intermediate portion thereof.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the valve mechanism 53 includes a valve seat 54, a valve body 55, a spring 56 and a spring seat 57. The movable valve body 55 opens and closes the valve seat 54, the spring 56 constantly urges the valve body 55 toward the valve seat 54, and the spring seat 57 holds the base of the spring 56 in a fixed position in the refilling passage 52. To do. The spring 56 is made of a shape memory material, and degenerates at room temperature or a cold temperature of the engine 201 (for example, 30 ° C.) to create a gap between the valve body 55 and the valve seat 54. The shape and characteristics of the valve body 55 are set so that the valve body 55 closes and closes the valve seat 54 when the valve 201 is warm. As such a shape memory material, for example, a Ti—Ni alloy known as a shape memory alloy is suitable, but other metals and other materials may be used, and a composite material such as a bimetal may be used. Since the remaining configuration of the third embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted. Of course, the configuration of the third embodiment can be applied to the apparatus of the second embodiment.

  In the third embodiment configured as described above, the spring 56 extends during operation of the engine 201 and the valve body 55 closes the valve seat 54, so that the lubricating oil flowing down inside the cylinder head H is replenished. It is accommodated in the oil reservoir 51. When a certain amount of time (for example, 2 to 3 hours) elapses after the engine 201 is stopped and the engine 201 reaches a room temperature or a cold temperature, the spring 56 is degenerated and the valve body 55 and the valve seat 54 are interposed. A gap is generated, whereby lubricating oil is supplied from the replenishing oil reservoir 51 to the main gallery 7.

  As a result, even if the lubricating oil in the main gallery 7 decreases for some reason (for example, pulling due to the flow of lubricating oil upstream of the oil filter 10) after the engine stops, the lubricating oil in the main gallery 7 is restarted after a short engine stop. Initial lubrication can be facilitated when starting.

  In the above embodiments, the present invention has been described with a certain degree of concreteness, but various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims. It must be understood that it is possible. That is, the present invention includes modifications and changes that fall within the scope and spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents. For example, the means for preventing the lubricating oil from flowing out from the main gallery while the engine is stopped may be arranged in another configuration, for example, by disposing the main gallery 7 below the connecting portion 4a and inflowing oil upstream of the main gallery. A configuration may be adopted in which a valve such as an electromagnetic valve is provided in the middle of the road and is closed at the same time or immediately before the engine is stopped and opened at the same time or just before the restart. In this case, the lowest point at the bottom of the main gallery 7 need not be lower than the highest point at the bottom of the oil inflow passage.

  In each of the above embodiments, the needle bearing is adopted as a bearing for holding the main journal of the crankshaft 2. However, the bearing in the present invention may be another type of bearing such as a so-called journal bearing using a plain metal. Good.

  In addition, although the oil outflow path, the oil inflow path, and the main gallery in each of the above embodiments are all straight and monotonously rising or descending, the shape, curve, or midway formed by a combination of a plurality of straight portions The shape may have the highest point.

  In the third embodiment, a spring made of a shape memory material is used as the driving means for driving the valve that opens and closes the replenishing passage from the replenishing oil reservoir. However, as the driving means in the present invention, a lubricating oil is used. Any valve mechanism can be adopted as long as the supply timing is delayed from the time when the engine is stopped and the replenishment passage is opened in the cold state. For example, an electric type electrically driven by an actuator such as a solenoid It may be. When an electric valve mechanism is employed, the timing for controlling the opening operation may be determined based on temperature, or some parameter that can predict that the engine 201 will be started after a short time, such as a door. It may be determined based on the detection value of the door sensor for detecting the opening operation of the door or the unlocking operation of the door key and the time, and such a modification also belongs to the category of the present invention.

1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of an engine lubrication device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view which shows schematic structure of 1st Embodiment. It is a side view which shows schematic structure of 2nd Embodiment. It is a front view which shows schematic structure of 3rd Embodiment. It is a front view which shows the replenishment oil storage part, the replenishment channel | path, and a valve mechanism in 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1, 101, 201 Engine 2 Crankshaft 4 Bearing 7 Main gallery 7a, 11a Lowest point 8 Oil outflow path 8a, 9a Highest point 9 Oil inflow path 10 Oil filter 11 Discharge port 13, 113 Inlet port 14 Oil pump 20 Lubricating oil 51 Replenishment oil reservoir 52 Replenishment passage 53 Valve mechanism 56 Spring

Claims (7)

A lubricating device for an engine, comprising: a bearing that supports a main journal of a crankshaft; and a main gallery that forms a lubricating oil supply path to the bearing in parallel with the bearing,
An engine lubrication apparatus, further comprising means for preventing outflow of lubricating oil from the main gallery while the engine is stopped.   2. The engine lubrication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for preventing the outflow includes an oil outflow path connecting the main gallery and the bearing, and an oil inflow path connected upstream of the main gallery. And the oil outflow passage, the oil inflow passage, and the main gallery constitute an oil reservoir. The engine lubrication device according to claim 2,
2. The engine lubrication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lowest point of the bottom of the main gallery is disposed below the highest point of the bottom of the oil outflow passage and the highest point of the bottom of the oil inflow passage. The engine lubrication device according to claim 3,
An oil filter is connected to the upstream side of the oil inflow passage, and the lowest point of the main gallery is disposed below the lowest point of the discharge port of the oil filter to be connected to the oil inflow passage. The engine lubrication device. The engine lubrication device according to claim 2,
An oil filter outlet is connected to the upstream side of the oil inflow passage,
The lowest point of the inlet of the oil filter that receives lubricating oil from the oil pump is disposed above the lowest point of the outlet;
2. The engine lubrication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lowest point of the bottom of the main gallery is disposed below the highest point of the bottom of the oil outflow passage and the lowest point of the inlet of the oil filter. The engine lubrication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A replenishment oil reservoir provided above the lowest point of the main gallery,
A replenishment passage connecting the replenishment oil reservoir and the main gallery;
A valve for opening and closing the replenishment passage;
Drive means for driving the valve to open when cold;
An engine lubrication device further comprising: The engine lubrication device according to claim 6,
The engine lubrication device, wherein the drive means includes a drive member made of a shape memory material.

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