JP2013113229A - Oil pan - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely transmit driving force of an on-off valve drive means to an on-off valve and to perform opening and closing operation of the on-off valve without incurring an operational failure even in the case where both the on-off valve and the on-off valve drive means are disposed separately inside an oil pan when driving the on-off valve by means of the on-off valve drive means.SOLUTION: An oil pan (1) includes: a partition member (20) on which a communication hole (21) is formed for connecting a first chamber (R1) with a second chamber (R2); a first on-off valve (30) for opening/closing the communication hole (21); and an on-off valve drive device (50) in which when the temperature of oil in the first chamber (R1) is a predetermined temperature or lower, the first on-off valve (30) is turned to a closed state and when exceeding the predetermined temperature, on the other hand, the first on-off valve (30) is turned to an opened state. In the oil pan (1), the on-off valve drive device (50) has a bimetal and includes a first coupling member (35) which couples the first on-off valve (30) and the on-off valve drive device (50) to transmit the driving force of the on-off valve drive device (50) to the first on-off valve (30).

Description

  The present invention relates to an oil pan for storing oil circulating inside an internal combustion engine, for example.

  Conventionally, an oil pan is provided in the lower part of the engine. Immediately after the engine is started in the cold state, the oil is low in temperature, so that the oil having a high viscosity is sucked into the engine, which may cause a deterioration in fuel consumption. In order to suppress this as much as possible, a two-layer oil pan has been devised (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In Patent Document 1, an oil pan separator is provided for partitioning the inside of an oil pan into a sub chamber in which an oil suction port is disposed and a main chamber in which no suction port is disposed. The oil pan separator is formed with a communication hole that allows the main chamber and the sub chamber to communicate with each other, and the communication hole is opened and closed by a plate-shaped bimetal valve formed by bonding two types of metal plates having different linear expansion coefficients. It has become so.

  Therefore, when the temperature of the oil in the oil pan is low, the bimetallic valve closes the communication hole and circulates the oil in the sub chamber to the engine to quickly raise the temperature, thereby reducing fuel consumption. As the oil begins to rise, the bimetal valve begins to open and the heated oil in the sub chamber flows into the main chamber and mixes, thereby suppressing partial deterioration of the oil.

Japanese Patent No. 4239933

  However, in Patent Document 1, the bimetal valve has a flat plate shape that covers the communication hole, and even if the shape of the bimetal valve and the combination of metals constituting the bimetal valve are devised, it is not possible to increase the opening of the communication hole. Can not. For this reason, it is difficult to smoothly flow the oil in the main chamber into the sub chamber, and for example, the temperature of the oil continues to rise when the engine is rotated to a high rotation range after the warm-up is completed. As a result, the deterioration of the oil is accelerated, and as a result, not only the fuel efficiency of the engine is reduced, but also the life of the engine may be reduced.

  In contrast, for example, it is conceivable to operate the on-off valve using an actuator using an electric motor or the like.

  However, in addition to the partition member described above, an oil strainer and the like are also provided inside the oil pan, so that the space where the actuator can be provided is limited. For this reason, the actuator cannot be disposed inside the oil pan integrally with the on-off valve. For example, as previously filed as Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-018897 by the applicant of the present application, In most cases, they must be separated from each other so that the on-off valve is operated from the outside.

  Also, if an actuator using an electric motor or the like is provided inside the oil pan, even if the space for installing the actuator can be secured, there is a concern that the actuator may be immersed in oil and cause malfunction. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the oil from being soaked, and it is difficult to set the arrangement position.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object thereof is to drive an on-off valve that opens and closes a communication hole between the first chamber and the second chamber of an oil pan by an on-off valve driving means. In addition, even if they are arranged apart from each other in the oil pan, the driving force of the on-off valve driving means is reliably transmitted to the on-off valve and the on-off valve is opened and closed without causing malfunction.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, the on-off valve driving means is made of bimetal, and the driving force is transmitted to the on-off valve by connecting the on-off valve driving means and the on-off valve with a connecting member. did.

The first invention comprises an oil pan body for storing oil;
Provided in the oil pan body, and the internal space of the oil pan body is partitioned into a first chamber in which the oil suction port is located and a second chamber in which the oil suction port is not located, and the first chamber, A partition member formed with a communication hole for communicating with the second chamber;
A first on-off valve for opening and closing the communication hole;
On-off valve driving means for closing the first on-off valve when the temperature of the oil in the first chamber is lower than a predetermined temperature, and opening the first on-off valve when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature. In an oil pan with
The on-off valve driving means has a long bimetal as a power generation member,
The first on-off valve and the on-off valve driving means are arranged apart from each other,
The first on-off valve and the on-off valve driving means are connected to each other, and a first connecting member for transmitting the driving force of the on-off valve driving means to the first on-off valve is provided.

  According to this configuration, since the on-off valve driving means has the long bimetal, it is possible to increase the operation amount of the first on-off valve as compared with the conventional flat bimetal. Further, unlike an actuator having an electric motor, it does not cause malfunction even when immersed in oil.

  Since the on-off valve driving means and the first on-off valve are connected by the first connecting member, the driving force of the on-off valve driving means is reliably transmitted to the first on-off valve even if they are arranged apart from each other. It becomes possible to do.

According to a second invention, in the first invention,
The oil pan body is provided with a second on-off valve,
A second connecting member for connecting the second on-off valve and the on-off valve driving means is provided.

  According to this configuration, since the partition member is provided with the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve, it becomes possible to ensure a large amount of oil flow between the first chamber and the second chamber, It is possible to suppress the oil temperature from rising abnormally.

  In this case, since the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve can be driven by a single on-off valve driving means, the on-off operation can be synchronized. Also, the number of parts can be reduced.

  According to the first invention, the on-off valve driving means having the long bimetal and the first on-off valve are connected by the first connecting member, so that the on-off valve driving means and the first on-off valve are connected to the oil pan. Even if they are arranged apart from each other, the driving force of the on-off valve driving means can be reliably transmitted to the first on-off valve, and the first on-off valve can be opened and closed without causing malfunction.

  According to the second invention, the oil pan main body is provided with the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve, and these on-off valves are driven by the on-off valve driving means. While securing a large amount of oil in between, the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed and cost reduction can be achieved. Further, the first on-off valve and the second on-off valve can be synchronized.

1 is a cross-sectional view of an oil pan according to a first embodiment. It is a perspective view of a partition member. It is the perspective view which expanded the on-off valve vicinity of the partition member. It is the figure which looked at the partition member in which an on-off valve is a closed state from the rear side. It is the figure which looked at the partition member in which an on-off valve is an open state from the rear side. It is a perspective view of the partition member of the state which assembled | attached the winding shape bimetal. It is a perspective view of an on-off valve. It is a side view of an on-off valve. It is the perspective view which looked at the on-off valve drive device from the winding shape bimetal side. It is a perspective view of a transmission member. It is a front view of a transmission member. It is a side view of a link. It is sectional drawing of the oil pan concerning Embodiment 2. FIG. It is the perspective view which looked at the partition member concerning Embodiment 2 from the left back. It is the perspective view seen from the right rear of the partition member concerning Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a side view of the partition member in which the on-off valve concerning Embodiment 2 is a closed state. It is a side view of the partition member in which the on-off valve concerning Embodiment 2 is an open state. It is the perspective view which looked at the on-off valve drive device concerning Embodiment 2 from the winding shape bimetal side. It is a front view of the transmission member concerning Embodiment 2. It is a side view of the partition member concerning Embodiment 3. It is the figure which looked at the recessed part for drive device arrangement | positioning of the partition member concerning Embodiment 3 from the 1st chamber side. It is the perspective view which looked at the transmission member concerning Embodiment 3 from the winding shape bimetal side. It is a perspective view of the transmission member concerning Embodiment 3. FIG. FIG. 22 is a view corresponding to FIG. 21 according to a modification of the third embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiment is merely illustrative in nature, and is not intended to limit the present invention, its application, or its use.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an oil pan 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The oil pan 1 is provided, for example, in a lower part of an automobile engine, and stores oil circulating in the engine.

  The oil pan 1 includes an oil pan body 10 and a partition member 20 that is disposed inside the oil pan body 10 and partitions the inside of the oil pan body 10 into a first chamber R1 and a second chamber R2. ing. The partition member 20 is formed with a communication hole 21 for communicating the first chamber R1 and the second chamber R2, and the communication hole 21 is opened and closed by an on-off valve (first on-off valve) 30. It has become. The on-off valve 30 is driven by an on-off valve driving device (on-off valve driving means) 50.

  In the description of the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, for example, the front side of the vehicle is referred to as “front” and the rear side of the vehicle is referred to as “rear”. The left side is referred to as “left”, and the right side of the vehicle is referred to as “right”.

  The oil pan body 10 is a concave resin member that opens upward, and is formed so as to cover the lower part of the engine block E (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1). A flange 11 is formed at the upper end of the oil pan body 10. This flange 11 is fixed to the engine block E. Although not shown, a drain portion is provided on the bottom wall portion of the oil pan body 10.

  The partition member 20 is also a concave resin member that opens upward. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of insertion holes 20 a and 20 a through which bolts for fastening and fixing to the engine block E are inserted are formed at the upper end portion of the partition member 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the internal space of the partition member 20 is a first chamber R1 in which the oil suction port 41 is located. The internal space of the oil pan body 10 and the outside of the partition member 20 This is the second chamber R2 where the suction port 41 is not located.

  The oil inlet 41 is formed by an oil strainer 40. That is, the downstream side of the oil strainer 40 is connected to a suction port of an engine oil pump (not shown). The oil strainer 40 includes a filter 42 inside. The suction port 41 of the oil strainer 40 is located in the vicinity of the bottom wall portion of the partition member 20.

  The oil strainer 40 may be integrated with the partition member 20 or may be separated.

  The bottom wall portion of the partition member 20 is located in the vicinity of the bottom wall portion of the oil pan body 10. Further, a sealing member (gasket member) S made of an elastic member is provided in the circumferential direction at the upper end of the partition member 20. When the oil pan body 10 and the partition member 20 are attached to the engine block E, the seal member S is positioned so as to seal between the inner peripheral surface of the oil pan body 10 and the upper end portion of the partition member 20. The normal oil level is indicated by an imaginary line L in FIG.

  The lower part of the left side wall part 20b of the partition member 20 extends substantially in the vertical direction. The communication hole 21 is formed in the lower portion of the left side wall portion 20b. The upper side of the portion of the left side wall portion 20b where the communication hole 21 is formed is largely curved so as to be positioned to the left as it approaches the upper end.

  As shown by a broken line in FIG. 3, the communication hole 21 has a substantially rectangular shape in which the dimension in the front-rear direction is set longer than the dimension in the vertical direction.

  A rear side and front side support portions 25 and 26 for supporting the on-off valve 30 are provided at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the left side wall portion 20 b of the partition member 20. The front support part 26 is formed in a plate shape that protrudes from the front side to the left side of the communication hole 21 of the left side wall part 20b and extends in the vertical direction. Moreover, the rear side support part 25 is formed in the plate shape which protrudes toward the left side from the rear side rather than the communicating hole 21 of the left side wall part 20b, and extends in the up-down direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a bearing hole 26 a that receives a shaft portion 32 b (indicated by a broken line in FIG. 7) of the front rotation shaft 32 of the on-off valve 30 penetrates the front support portion 26 in the thickness direction (front-rear direction). It is formed to do. In addition, the front support portion 26 is formed with a notch portion 26b for guiding the shaft portion 32b of the front rotation shaft 32 of the on-off valve 30 to the bearing hole 26a so as to be continuous with the bearing hole 26a.

  The rear support portion 25 is formed with a bearing hole 25a that receives the shaft portion 33b (shown in FIG. 7) of the rear rotation shaft 33 of the on-off valve 30, and a notch portion 25b that continues to the bearing hole 25a. . The bearing holes 25a and 26a are located concentrically.

  As shown in FIG. 6 and the like, a driving device disposing recess 27 for disposing the on-off valve driving device 50 is formed at a substantially central portion in the left-right direction of the rear wall portion 20c of the partition member 20. The driving device disposing recess 27 is formed from the middle in the vertical direction of the rear wall 20c to the lower end. A cylindrical portion 27a is formed in a substantially central portion of the driving device disposing recess 27 so as to protrude rearward substantially horizontally. A through hole 27r is formed in a region in the cylindrical portion 27a of the driving device disposing recess 27.

  The lower region of the driving device disposing recess 27 is enlarged to the right, and a bimetal fixing portion 27c is formed on the right portion 27b so as to protrude rearward similarly to the cylindrical portion 27a. The bimetal fixing part 27c has a prismatic shape that is long in the vertical direction. An upper groove 27d is formed above the bimetal fixing portion 27c. The upper groove 27d opens to the left side and also opens to the rear side. An intermediate groove 27e is formed below the upper groove 27d of the bimetal fixing portion 27c, and a lower groove 27f is formed below the intermediate groove 27e. The intermediate groove 27e and the lower groove 27f are open to the left side and the rear side in the same manner as the upper groove 27d.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the on-off valve 30 includes a closing plate portion 31 that closes the communication hole 21, a front rotating shaft 32 that protrudes forward from the front edge portion of the upper end of the closing plate portion 31, and the closing plate portion 31. A rear rotation shaft 33 projecting rearward from a rear edge portion of the upper end of the arm and an arm. The on-off valve 30 is an integrally molded product of resin. The arm 34 may be integrally formed with the closing plate portion 31, the front side rotation shaft 32, and the rear side rotation shaft 33, or may be assembled as a separate member.

  The blocking plate portion 31 has a rectangular shape larger than the communication hole 21 and is disposed outside the left side wall portion 20b of the partition member 20, that is, in the second chamber R2. Ribs 31 a and 31 a are formed on both side edges of the closing plate portion 31. The ribs 31a and 31a can be omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the shaft portion 32b of the front rotation shaft 32 is inserted into the bearing hole 26a from the notch portion 26b of the front support portion 26 and is rotatably supported by the bearing hole 26a. As shown in FIG. 7, a disc portion 32 a having a larger diameter than the bearing hole 26 a is formed at the end of the front rotation shaft 32. The disc part 32a is used to prevent the shaft part 32b of the front rotating shaft 32 supported by the bearing hole 26a from moving in the axial direction to prevent the disc part 32a from coming off.

  The shaft portion 33b of the rear rotation shaft 33 is inserted into the bearing hole 25a from the cutout portion 25b of the rear support portion 25 and is rotatably supported by the bearing hole 25a. A disc portion for restricting the rear rotation shaft 33 from moving in the axial direction (to prevent the rear rotation shaft 33 from moving) at the end of the shaft portion 33b of the rear rotation shaft 33 on the closing plate portion 31 side. 33a is formed.

  Further, a rod-like portion 33c that protrudes rearward in the axial direction is formed at the center of the disc portion 33a on the rear side of the on-off valve 30. The end in the protruding direction of the rod-shaped portion 33 c is positioned on the rear side of the rear wall portion 20 c of the partition member 20 in a state where the on-off valve 30 is attached to the partition member 20.

  As shown in FIG. 8, an arm 34 extending in the radial direction is provided at the end of the rod-shaped portion 33 c. The extending direction of the arm 34 is set to be obliquely upward to the right (shown in FIG. 4) when the on-off valve 30 is in the closed state. The peripheral surface of the rod-shaped portion 33c and the side surface of the arm 34 are connected by a connecting plate portion 34a for reinforcement, and deformation of the arm 34 is suppressed. Further, the deformation of the rod-shaped portion 33c is also suppressed by the connecting plate portion 34a.

  The arm 34 is provided with a notch 34b connected to a link mounting bearing 34c to which a first mounting shaft 35a of a later-described link (first connecting member) 35 is rotatably mounted.

  The on-off valve 30 rotates around the axis of the front and rear rotating shafts 32 and 33, and as shown in FIG. 5, when the partition member 20 is viewed from the rear side, the on-off valve 30 rotates clockwise. When it moves, the communication hole 21 is opened. When the communication hole 21 is rotated counterclockwise from the opened state, the communication hole 21 is closed.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the on-off valve driving device 50 includes a wound bimetal 51 and a transmission member 52 for transmitting the thermal deformation force of the wound bimetal 51 to a link 35 described later. As shown in FIG. 4, the drive device is disposed in the recess 27 for disposing the drive device. Therefore, the on-off valve 30 and the on-off valve driving device 50 are arranged away from each other in the left-right direction.

  The wound bimetal 51 is a power generation member that generates power for opening and closing the on-off valve 30 and draws a circle from a long bimetal formed by bonding two types of metal plate materials having different linear expansion coefficients. It is formed by winding several times in a spiral shape. When the rolled bimetal 51 is developed, the total length is about 300 mm to 500 mm.

  The inner peripheral end of the wound bimetal 51 is a winding start point 51 a configured on one end of the long bimetal, and has a plate shape extending linearly toward the center of the wound bimetal 51. .

  The outer peripheral end of the wound bimetal 51 is a winding end point 51b configured on the other end of the long bimetal. The winding end point 51b has a plate shape extending outward in the radial direction.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the winding end point 51 b is positioned on the right side of the on-off valve driving device 50 in a state assembled to the partition member 20, and includes an upper groove 27 d, an intermediate groove 27 e, and It is fixed to the bimetal fixing part 27c in a state of being inserted into any one of the lower grooves 27f.

  The wound bimetal 51 is configured such that when the winding end point 51b is fixed and heated from a low temperature state, the winding start point 51a rotates counterclockwise around the winding center. . The low temperature state is, for example, 5 ° C. or less, and this temperature corresponds to the predetermined temperature of the present invention.

  As will be described in detail later, the winding bimetal 51 is attached to the partition member 20 at a low temperature, and the winding start point 51a and the winding end point are configured so as to urge the on-off valve 30 in the closing direction and close the communication hole 21. The position with the part 51b is set.

  The transmission member 52 is attached to the partition member 20 and configured to cover the side surface of the wound bimetal 51. As shown in FIG. 10, the transmission member 52 includes a circular plate portion 53 that covers the side surface of the wound bimetal 51, and a back surface of the plate portion 53 (a surface that covers the side surface of the wound bimetal 51 when attached to the partition member 20. ), A support shaft 55 protruding from a substantially central portion of the back surface of the plate portion 53, and a link attachment portion 56 formed on the peripheral edge portion of the plate portion 53.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the outer diameter of the plate portion 53 is set slightly larger than the outer diameter of the wound bimetal 51, and the entire side surface of the wound bimetal 51 is covered with the plate portion 53. The peripheral wall portion 54 is formed so as to extend along the inner peripheral surface of the wound bimetal 51, and the inner peripheral portion of the wound bimetal 51 is disposed outside the peripheral wall portion 54.

  A slit 54 a into which the winding start point 51 a of the wound bimetal 51 is inserted is formed in a part of the circumferential wall portion 54 of the transmission member 52 in the circumferential direction. A first plate portion 54b extending toward the inside of the peripheral wall portion 54 and a second plate portion 54c are connected to both edge portions of the slit 54a. The separation dimension between the first plate portion 54b and the second plate portion 54c is set to be slightly longer than the thickness of the winding start point portion 51a of the wound bimetal 51 or to the extent that there is no rattling. The end of the second plate portion 54c is bent in an L shape toward the first plate portion 54b.

  The peripheral wall portion 54 is formed continuously in the circumferential direction except for the slit 54a, but may be formed intermittently.

  The support shaft 55 is rotatably supported by the inner surface of the through hole 27r in a state where the support shaft 55 is inserted into the through hole 27r (shown in FIG. 6) of the drive device disposing recess 27 of the partition member 20. Can be rotated around the support shaft 55. Since the outer diameter of the support shaft 55 is formed to be the same as or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 27r, the transmission member 52 rotates without rattling.

  The support shaft 55 includes two shaft constituent portions 55a and 55a that are divided into two in the radial direction. A gap is formed between the shaft constituent portions 55a and 55a, and the shaft constituent portions 55a and 55a are elastically deformed in the radial direction. Claw portions 55b and 55b projecting outward in the radial direction are formed at the tip portions of the shaft constituting portions 55a and 55a, respectively. In the state where the support shaft 55 is inserted into the through hole 27r of the driving device disposing recess 27 of the partition member 20, the claw portions 55b and 55b are positioned at the inner end of the opening hole 20d of the partition member 20, and the opening hole 20d The support shaft 55 is prevented from coming off by engaging with the peripheral edge from the inside of the partition member 20. Further, a concave portion 53a (shown in FIG. 2 and the like) is formed at a portion corresponding to the support shaft 55 of the plate portion 53. As a result, a step portion 55c that hardly deforms is formed on the back surface side, and the front end surface 27s of the cylindrical portion 27a of the partition member 20 is prevented from rattling in the front-rear direction on this step portion 55c. Since the contact can be made with high accuracy, the plate portion 53 can be rotated more smoothly.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the link attachment portion 56 is a portion to which the second attachment shaft 35 c of the link 35 is rotatably attached. As shown in FIG. 10, the plate portion 53 extends from the peripheral portion of the plate portion 53. Is formed so as to extend outward in the radial direction, and has a plate shape that is bent into a substantially L shape as a whole. As shown in FIG. 11, a cutout portion 56 a connected to the link attachment bearing portion 56 b similar to the tip portion of the arm 34 is formed at the distal end portion of the link attachment portion 56.

  The formation position of the link attachment portion 56 is separated from the formation position of the slit 54 a of the peripheral wall portion 54 by about 90 ° in the circumferential direction of the transmission member 52.

  The link 35 connects the arm 34 of the on-off valve 30 and the transmission member 52 of the on-off valve driving device 50, and transmits the driving force of the on-off valve driving device 50 to the on-off valve 30. The link 35 is made of a resin material and extends substantially linearly.

  As shown in FIG. 12, a first attachment shaft 35 a that is rotatably attached to the arm 34 of the on-off valve 30 is formed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the side surface of the link 35. The first attachment shaft 35a is inserted into the link attachment notch 34b (shown in FIG. 8) of the arm 34 from the open side of the link attachment notch 34b, and on the open side of the link attachment notch 34b. The provided retaining shape prevents the link attachment notch 34b from coming off. Further, in a state where the first attachment shaft 35a is inserted into the link attachment notch 34b and is fitted to the bearing portion 34c, the first attachment shaft 35a is rotatable.

  A first disc portion 35b having a diameter larger than that of the first mounting shaft 35a is formed at the tip of the first mounting shaft 35a. The first disk portion 35b prevents the first mounting shaft 35a from coming off in the axial direction from the link mounting notch portion 34b.

  A second attachment shaft 35 c that is rotatably attached to the link attachment portion 56 of the transmission member 52 is formed at the other longitudinal end of the side surface of the link 35. Similarly to the first mounting shaft 35a, the second mounting shaft 35c can be rotated while being inserted into the link mounting notch portion 56a (shown in FIG. 11 and the like) and fitted to the bearing portion 56b. The second mounting shaft 35c is also formed with a large-diameter second disk portion 35d.

  Next, a procedure for assembling the opening / closing valve 30, the opening / closing valve driving device 50, and the link 35 to the partition member 20 will be described.

  First, the opening / closing valve 30 is assembled to the partition member 20. That is, the shaft portion 32 b of the front rotation shaft 32 of the on-off valve 30 is inserted into the bearing hole 26 a from the notch portion 26 b of the front support portion 26, and the shaft portion 33 b of the rear rotation shaft 33 is inserted into the notch portion of the rear support portion 25. It inserts into the bearing hole 25a from the part 25b.

  Then, the wound bimetal 51 is assembled to the transmission member 52. At this time, the wound bimetal 51 is fitted to the outer side of the peripheral wall portion 54 of the transmission member 52, and the winding start point 51a of the wound bimetal 51 is inserted into the slit 54a of the peripheral wall portion 54 so that the first plate portion 54b and the second plate. It is sandwiched between the portions 54c. As a result, the winding start point 51 a of the wound bimetal 51 is fixed to the transmission member 52.

  Next, the on-off valve driving device 50 is assembled to the partition member 20. That is, the opening / closing valve driving device 50 is inserted into the driving device disposing recess 27 of the partition member 20, and at this time, the support shaft 55 of the transmission member 52 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 27 a of the driving device disposing recess 27. When the support shaft 55 inserted into the cylindrical portion 27a is pushed in, the claw portions 55b and 55b of the shaft constituting portions 55a and 55a of the support shaft 55 are pressed radially inward by coming into contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 27a. As a result, the shaft constituent portions 55a and 55a are elastically deformed in the direction approaching each other, and the claw portions 55b and 55b get over the peripheral portion of the through hole 20d and enter the partition member 20, and the shapes of the shaft constituent portions 55a and 55a are restored. To do. Therefore, the claw portions 55b and 55b are engaged with the peripheral edge portion of the through hole 20d from the inside of the partition member 20, and the support shaft 55 is prevented from coming off.

  In parallel with the insertion operation of the support shaft 55, the winding end point 51b of the wound bimetal 51 is inserted into any of the upper groove 27d, the intermediate groove 27e, and the lower groove 27f. The position in the circumferential direction of the winding end point 51b of the wound bimetal 51 differs depending on which one is inserted. That is, even if a manufacturing error occurs in each component, the circumferential position of the winding end point 51b of the wound bimetal 51 is set so that the on-off valve 30 in the closed state can be pressed against the peripheral edge of the communication hole 21. Set.

  Thereafter, the first attachment shaft 35 a of the link 35 is attached to the arm 34 of the on-off valve 30, and the second attachment shaft 35 c of the link 35 is attached to the transmission member 52. At the time of this assembly, the transmission member 52 is rotated counterclockwise so that the second attachment shaft 35c of the link 35 becomes a link attachment notch 56a (shown in FIG. 11 and the like) of the link attachment portion 56 of the transmission member 52. insert. By assembling in this way, the open / close valve 30 in the open state can be pressed against the peripheral edge of the communication hole 21.

  In this embodiment, three grooves of the upper groove 27d, the intermediate groove 27e, and the lower groove 27f are formed. However, the number of grooves is not limited to this, and may be one or two, or four or more. May be.

  According to the above configuration, since the winding end point 51b of the wound bimetal 51 is fixed to the partition member 20, the winding start point 51a moves clockwise and counterclockwise due to the temperature change of the wound bimetal 51. become. Since the winding start point 51a is fixed to the transmission member 52, when the winding start point 51a moves, the transmission member 52 rotates in the moving direction. The rotation center of the transmission member 52 at this time is the center of the support shaft 55.

  Since the opening / closing valve 30 is connected to the transmission member 52 via the link 35, the link 35 is pulled in the rotation direction of the transmission member 52 when the transmission member 52 rotates counterclockwise as shown in FIG. As a result, a downward force acts on the arm 34, and the on-off valve 30 rotates about the front rotation shaft 32 and the rear rotation shaft 33 in the opening direction. On the other hand, when the transmission member 52 rotates clockwise while the on-off valve 30 is in the open state, the link 35 moves in the rotation direction of the transmission member 52, and thereby the on-off valve 30 rotates in the closing direction. Move.

  After the partition member 20 assembled with the on-off valve 30 and the on-off valve driving device 50 is attached to the engine block E, the oil pan body 10 is attached to the engine block E. The oil strainer 40 is attached to the engine before the partition member 20 is attached.

  The oil pan 1 is obtained as described above.

  Next, the operation of the oil pan 1 will be described. The oil level L shown in FIG. 1 is located above the on-off valve driving device 50. When the temperature of the oil is, for example, 5 ° C. or less as in cold weather, the winding start point 51a of the wound bimetal 51 is in a position where the on-off valve 30 is closed, and the on-off valve 30 is closed. . At this time, the position of the winding end point 51b of the wound bimetal 51 (which of the upper groove 27d, the intermediate groove 27e, and the lower groove 27f is inserted) is set so that the on-off valve 30 is pressed against the peripheral edge of the communication hole 21. Therefore, there is almost no oil going back and forth between the first chamber R1 and the second chamber R2.

  Accordingly, the oil pump of the engine sucks up the oil in the first chamber R1 in the partition member 20 from the oil strainer 40 and supplies it to each part of the engine. The oil circulated through each part of the engine is returned to the first chamber R1 of the oil pan 1 and sucked up again by the oil pump. Thereby, since the temperature increase rate of the oil in the first chamber R1 is increased, it is possible to reduce the fuel consumption by reducing the warm-up operation time.

  As the temperature of the oil in the first chamber R1 rises, the partition member 20 is heated by the oil in the first chamber R1, and the heat is also transmitted to the second chamber R2. As a result, the temperature of the wound bimetal 51 of the on-off valve driving device 50 increases.

  When the temperature of the wound bimetal 51 rises, the wound bimetal 51 is deformed to rotate the winding start point 51a counterclockwise. At this time, as described above, the positions of the winding start point 51a and the winding end point 51b are in positions where the on-off valve 30 is pressed against the peripheral edge of the communication hole 21, so that even if the wound bimetal 51 begins to deform due to temperature rise. The winding start point 51a does not immediately turn counterclockwise.

  Then, when the temperature of the oil in the second chamber R2 further rises to, for example, 80 ° C. or more and the wound bimetal 51 is further deformed, the winding start point 51a starts to rotate counterclockwise. 30 rotates in the opening direction and the communication hole 21 is opened. When the communication hole 21 is opened, the first chamber R1 and the second chamber R2 communicate with each other, the oil flows back and forth, and an abnormal temperature rise of the oil is suppressed and deterioration is suppressed.

  Since the wound bimetal 51 is made of a long bimetal, the winding start point 51a is greatly displaced. By connecting the opening / closing valve 30 to the winding start point 51a via the link 35, the opening / closing valve 30 can be operated greatly, and the opening degree of the communication hole 21 is increased.

  Further, unlike the electric motor or the like, the wound bimetal 51 does not cause a malfunction even when immersed in oil, and the on-off valve 30 operates reliably. And since the on-off valve drive device 50 and the on-off valve 30 are connected by the link 35, even if the on-off valve drive device 50 and the on-off valve 30 are arranged apart from each other, the driving force of the on-off valve drive device 50 is reduced. It is possible to reliably transmit to the on-off valve 30.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the on-off valve driving device 50 having the wound bimetal 51 and the on-off valve 30 are connected by the link 35. Therefore, the on-off valve driving device 50 and the on-off valve 30 are connected. Can be reliably transmitted to the on-off valve 30 and the on-off valve 30 can be opened / closed without causing malfunction. .

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 13 shows the partition member 20 of the oil pan 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The oil pan 1 of the second embodiment is only different in part in the structure of the partition member 20, and the other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. Therefore, the parts different from the first embodiment will be described in detail below.

  In addition, since the oil pan main body of Embodiment 2 is the same as that of Embodiment 1, illustration is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, the partition member 20 of the second embodiment is provided with the first on-off valve 30 and the second on-off valve 60 of the first embodiment. The second on-off valve 60 is driven by a single on-off valve driving device 50.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 13, a right communication hole 22 is formed in the lower part of the right wall 20f of the partition member 20 in the same manner as the communication hole 21 of the left wall 20b. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the right side wall portion 20f is provided with front and rear support portions 28 and 29 in the same manner as the left side wall portion 20b.

  The second on-off valve 60 is for opening and closing the right communication hole 22, and the basic structure is the same as that of the first on-off valve 30. The second on-off valve 60 includes a closing plate portion 61 that closes the communication hole 21, a front rotation shaft 62 that protrudes forward from a front edge portion at the upper end of the closing plate portion 61, and a rear edge at the upper end of the closing plate portion 61. A rear rotating shaft 63 protruding rearward from the portion and an arm 64 are provided. A rib 61 a is formed on the closing plate portion 61. The front rotation shaft 62 and the rear rotation shaft 63 of the second on-off valve 60 are rotatably supported by the front and rear support portions 28 and 29. The second opening / closing valve 60 opens the communication hole 22 when it rotates counterclockwise, and closes the communication hole 22 when it rotates clockwise. The second on-off valve 60 is separated from the on-off valve driving device 50 to the right side.

  The direction in which the arm 64 of the second on-off valve 60 extends is different from the direction in which the arm 34 of the first on-off valve 30 extends. As shown in FIG. 16, the second on-off valve 60 is substantially in the closed state. Extends vertically.

  Further, the transmission member 52 of the on-off valve driving device 50 is provided with a first link mounting portion 56 that is a link mounting portion of the first embodiment and a second link mounting portion 57 separately from this. The second link attachment portion 57 is a plate-like member formed in the same manner as the first link attachment portion 56. The second link mounting portion 57 is formed at a position that is about 90 ° clockwise from the first link mounting portion 56 at the peripheral edge of the plate portion 53 of the transmission member 52.

  The arm 64 of the second on-off valve 60 and the transmission member 52 of the on-off valve driving device 50 are connected by a link (second connecting member) 68. The basic structure of the link 68 is the same as that of the link 35 of the first embodiment. The link 68 is longer than the link 35, and the link 68 is slightly bent.

  Further, one groove 27 h is formed in the bimetal fixing portion 27 c of the partition member 20. The number of grooves formed in the bimetal fixing portion 27c is not limited to this, and a plurality of grooves may be formed as in the first embodiment, for example.

  In the second embodiment, when cold, the winding start point 51a of the wound bimetal 51 is in a position where the first and second on-off valves 30, 60 are closed, and the first and second on-off valves 30, 60 are in the closed state. Is closed. At this time, since the position of the winding end point 51b of the wound bimetal 51 is set so that the first and second on-off valves 30 and 60 are in pressure contact with the peripheral portions of the communication holes 21 and 22, the first chamber R1 and There is almost no oil going to and from the second chamber R2.

  Accordingly, the oil pump of the engine sucks up the oil in the first chamber R1 in the partition member 20 from the oil strainer 40 and supplies it to each part of the engine. The oil circulated through each part of the engine is returned to the first chamber R1 of the oil pan 1 and sucked up again by the oil pump.

  When the temperature of the oil in the first chamber R1 rises and the temperature of the wound bimetal 51 rises, the wound bimetal 51 is deformed to rotate the winding start point 51a counterclockwise. When the temperature of the oil in the second chamber R2 reaches, for example, 80 ° C. or more, the winding start point 51a starts to rotate counterclockwise, whereby the first on-off valve 30 rotates in the opening direction and the communication hole 21 is opened. While being opened, the link 68 is pulled by the rotation of the transmission member 52 and the second on-off valve 60 rotates in the opening direction.

  Therefore, the communication holes 21 and 22 are opened, the first chamber R1 and the second chamber R2 communicate with each other, and oil flows back and forth, so that partial deterioration of the oil is suppressed. The oil flow rate at this time is larger than that of the first embodiment due to the presence of the two communication holes 21 and 22. Accordingly, even when the engine continues to run at a high speed, if the temperature of the oil rises, the wound bimetal 51 is further deformed to rotate the first on-off valve 30 in the opening direction, and the communication hole 21 is formed. Since the link 68 is pulled by the rotation of the transmission member 52 and the second on-off valve 60 is rotated in the opening direction, the oil is prevented from becoming abnormally hot and extends the life of the oil. be able to.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the on-off valve driving device 50 having the wound bimetal 51 and the first and second on-off valves 30, 60 are linked to the link 35, 68, even if the on-off valve driving device 50 and the first and second on-off valves 30, 60 are arranged apart from each other in the oil pan 1, the driving force of the on-off valve driving device 50 is reduced. The first and second on-off valves 30 and 60 can be reliably transmitted to the first and second on-off valves 30 and 60, and the first and second on-off valves 30 and 60 can be opened and closed without causing malfunction.

  Further, since the first and second on-off valves 30 and 60 are driven by the single on-off valve driving device 50, a large amount of oil is ensured between the first chamber R1 and the second chamber R2. However, it is possible to reduce the cost by suppressing the temperature rise of the oil while suppressing the increase in the number of parts. Further, the operations of the first on-off valve 30 and the second on-off valve 60 can be synchronized.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 20 shows the partition member 20 of the oil pan 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The oil pan 1 of the third embodiment is only different in part in the structure of the partition member 20 and the structure of the transmission member 52, and the other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. This will be described in detail.

  A plurality of communication holes 20k, 20k,... For communicating the first chamber R1 and the second chamber R2 are formed in the driving device disposing recess 27 of the partition member 20 of the third embodiment. The communication holes 20k, 20k,... Are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction so as to surround the periphery of the opening hole 20d. Each communication hole 20k has a long shape in the circumferential direction of the opening hole 20d. The number and shape of the communication holes 20k are not limited to those described above, and can be arbitrarily set.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 21, the driving device disposing recess 27 is formed with an annular rib 20n and a plurality of radial ribs 20m, 20m,. The annular rib 20n extends so as to surround the opening hole 20d between the opening hole 20d and the communication holes 20k, 20k,. The radial ribs 20m are connected to the annular rib 20n, and extend outward of the annular rib 20n through the communication holes 20k and 20k. The rear wall portion 20c of the partition member 20 having the communication hole 20k is reinforced by the annular rib 20n and the radial rib 20m.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the transmission member 52 has a bulging portion 52 a that bulges in the radial direction of the support shaft 55. The bulging portion 52 a is formed so as to cover the bimetal fixing portion 27 c of the partition member 20. The shape of the bulging portion 52a is set so as not to contact the bimetal fixing portion 27c when the transmission member 52 rotates. A peripheral wall portion 58 is formed on the peripheral edge portion of the plate portion 53 of the transmission member 52. An internal space T surrounded by the plate portion 53 and the peripheral wall portion 58 is formed.

  When the transmission member 52 of the third embodiment is attached to the partition member 20, the internal space T of the transmission member 52 is covered with the driving device disposing recess 27 of the partition member 20. In this state, the internal space T communicates with the first chamber R1 through the communication hole 20k.

  Therefore, in the third embodiment, the warmed oil in the first chamber R1 flows out from the communication hole 20k to the internal space T of the transmission member 52. Thereby, the oil in the first chamber R1 can be directly supplied to the wound bimetal 51 and heated.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  Further, as in the modification shown in FIG. 24, the outer annular rib 20 p may be provided in the driving device disposing recess 27 of the partition member 20. The outer annular rib 20p extends substantially concentrically with the annular rib 20n so as to be connected to the end of the radial rib 20m outside the annular rib 20n. The outer annular rib 20p further increases the rigidity of the rear wall portion 20c of the partition member 20. The ribs provided in the driving device disposing recess 27 of the partition member 20 are not limited to the above three types.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the elongate bimetal is made into the coiled bimetal 51 by winding in a spiral shape, the elongate bimetal may be shape | molded by helically winding like a coil spring, for example. , U shape or W shape may be formed, or curved shape may be formed in various shapes.

  The oil pan body 10 may be made of metal such as iron or aluminum alloy.

  Similarly, the partition member 20 may be made of metal such as iron or aluminum alloy.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the partition member 20 is formed in concave shape, not only this but a shape without a bottom may be sufficient, and the inside of the oil pan 1 is made into the front side and a back side, for example A partition wall extending in the vertical direction so as to partition, or to partition the left side and the right side may be used as the partition member.

  Moreover, as a partition member, the partition wall extended in a horizontal direction may be sufficient so that the inside of the oil pan main body 10 may be partitioned into an upper side and a lower side.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the on-off valve 30 is made into the resin integral molded product, it is not restricted to this, The front side rotating shaft 32 and the rear side rotating shaft 33 are made into a separate member from the obstruction | occlusion board part 31, and the front side The rotating shaft 32 and the rear rotating shaft 33 may be assembled to the closing plate portion 31.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the communication hole 21 and the communication hole 22 face each other, and similarly, the on-off valve 30 and the on-off valve 60 are arranged, and the rotation axes of the on-off valve 30 and the on-off valve 60 are substantially parallel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the connecting portions of the arms 34 and 64, the links 35 and 68, and the transmission member 52 may be ball joints, or the links 35 and 68 may be bent or curved to form the on-off valve 30. The on-off valves 30 and 60 may be arranged so that the rotation axes of the on-off valve 60 intersect each other.

  Moreover, you may comprise the links 35 and 68 with a metal rod etc., for example. Further, instead of the links 35 and 68, a push-pull type wire may be used as a connecting member, or a link may be used.

  The present invention can also be used as an oil pan for engines other than automobile engines.

As described above, the oil pan according to the present invention is suitable as an oil pan for an automobile engine, for example.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Oil pan 10 Oil pan main body 20 Partition member 21 Communication hole 30 On-off valve (1st on-off valve)
34 arm 35 link (first connecting member)
41 Suction port 50 Open / close valve drive device (open / close valve drive means)
51 Winding bimetal 50a Winding start point 50b Winding end point 60 Second on-off valve 64 Arm 68 Link (second connecting member)
R1 first chamber R2 second chamber

Claims (2)

An oil pan body (10) for storing oil;
The oil pan body (10) is provided in the interior of the oil pan body (10), and a first chamber (R1) in which the oil suction port (41) is located and an oil suction port (41). A partition member (20) formed with a communication hole (21) for partitioning the first chamber (R1) and the second chamber (R2) together with partitioning into the second chamber (R2) not positioned;
A first on-off valve (30) for opening and closing the communication hole (21);
The first on-off valve (30) is closed when the temperature of the oil in the first chamber (R1) is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature, while the first on-off valve (30) when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature. In the oil pan (1) provided with the on-off valve driving means (50) for opening the
The on-off valve driving means (50) has a long bimetal as a power generation member,
The first on-off valve (30) and the on-off valve driving means (50) are arranged apart from each other,
A first connecting member that connects the first on-off valve (30) and the on-off valve driving means (50) to transmit the driving force of the on-off valve driving means (50) to the first on-off valve (30). 35) An oil pan (1). In the oil pan (1) according to claim 1,
The oil pan body (10) is provided with a second on-off valve (60),
An oil pan (1) comprising a second connecting member (68) for connecting the second on-off valve (60) and the on-off valve driving means (50).

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