JP4501663B2 - Engine oil pan structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an engine oil pan structure in which an inner panel is disposed inside an oil pan made of a metal plate.

  An oil pan provided on the lower surface of a cylinder block of an engine typified by an automobile engine usually has a deep bottom portion and a shallow bottom portion in a bottom wall, and an oil drain hole is formed in the deep bottom portion, and a suction pipe An oil strainer connected to the bottom is disposed facing the deep bottom. In such an engine oil pan, an inner panel is arranged so that a slight gap is formed between the oil pan body and the oil pan body, and oil is introduced into the gap to apply pressure from the cylinder block side. Membrane vibration generated on the bottom wall and side wall of the oil pan by vibration input causes the oil to move and convert vibration energy into kinetic energy, and the kinetic energy is attenuated by friction with the wall surface and between the oils. A double-structured oil pan that suppresses vibration and reduces radiated sound is known, and the oil pan is double-structured in this way and oil is placed between the oil pan body and the inner panel. As a method of forming the gap to be introduced, the inner panel is fixed to the oil pan by welding or the like while keeping the predetermined gap, or the Napaneru precipitated to a predetermined position by the weight and method of forming the gap is known between the oil pan (e.g., see Patent Document 1.).

  In addition, in such a double-structured oil pan, it is necessary to form a wide gap for introducing oil between the inner panel and the inner panel in order to suppress membrane vibration. If the entire bottom wall is covered, the inner panel closes the oil drain hole, and it becomes impossible to secure drainability when oil is changed. Therefore, in the structure that sinks the inner pan under its own weight, when the drain cock is removed, the inner panel is lifted upward by the lift mechanism, and a gap between the oil pan bottom wall and the inner pan bottom wall is opened to expel oil quickly. It has been proposed to be configured (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent No. 2792400 JP 7-332053 A

  In the case of a double structure oil pan that sinks the inner pan under its own weight, when the drain cock is removed as described above, the inner panel is lifted upward by the lift mechanism, and between the oil pan bottom wall and the inner pan bottom wall. It has been proposed to ensure drainability by opening the gaps so that oil is quickly discharged. However, such a configuration is structurally complex. Further, even if it can be used for an oil pan having a structure in which the inner panel is settled by its own weight, it cannot be used for an oil pan having a structure in which the inner panel is fixed to the oil pan by welding or the like.

  In addition, in the oil pan having a double structure in which the inner panel is disposed in this way, there is a slight gap between the inner wall surface of the oil pan and the inner panel, and there is a problem in the fluidity of the oil. Impurities become sludge and accumulate in the gap between the inner wall of the oil pan and the inner panel, impeding the movement of the oil, which may reduce the effect of suppressing membrane vibration by conversion to kinetic energy .

  Therefore, it is a problem to ensure the drainability of a double structure oil pan made of a metal plate, in which an inner panel is disposed and a gap for introducing oil is formed between the inner wall surface of the oil pan and the inner panel. At the same time, another problem is to ensure the fluidity of the oil in the gap between the inner wall surface of the oil pan and the inner panel and prevent the accumulation of foreign matters or the like in the gap. The present invention aims to solve these problems.

  The present invention solves the above problems by an oil pan structure for an engine according to claims 1 to 4.

  The engine oil pan structure of the invention according to claim 1 includes at least a bottom wall of the oil pan body so that a slight gap is formed between the oil pan body and the inner wall surface of the oil pan body. An oil pan structure for an engine in which a substantially similar inner panel is disposed, wherein the inner panel is supported on the oil pan body by welding and fixing at a peripheral edge, and the bottom wall of the oil pan body is a shallow bottom A shallow slope that forms a flat bottom surface, a deep bottom portion that forms a substantially flat bottom surface of the deep bottom, and a connecting slope that connects the shallow bottom portion and the deep bottom portion to form a bottom surface that is inclined with respect to the shallow bottom portion and the bottom surface of the deep bottom portion. A bottom wall of the oil pan main body has a curved surface at a portion extending between the connecting inclined portion and the deep bottom portion, and the connecting inclined portion and the depth in the region forming the curved surface. Oil drain at the boundary with the bottom The bottom wall of the inner panel has a shallow bottom portion, a deep bottom portion, and a connecting inclined portion that are formed along the shallow bottom portion, the deep bottom portion, and the connecting inclined portion of the bottom wall of the oil pan body, The bottom wall of the inner panel has a region having a curved surface at a portion extending between the connecting inclined portion and the deep bottom portion, and the oil drain hole of the oil pan body and the oil drain hole are adjacent to the region forming the curved surface. However, an opening is formed corresponding to the oil strainer arranged facing the deep bottom.

  This oil pan structure is provided with a region having a curved surface in a portion extending between the connecting inclined portion and the deep bottom portion of the bottom wall of the oil pan body, and the connecting inclined portion is provided in the region where rigidity is improved by forming the curved surface. By forming an oil drain hole at the boundary between the oil and the deep bottom, the membrane vibration of the oil pan body in the vicinity of the oil drain hole can be suppressed, and the inner panel corresponding to the oil drain hole can be suppressed while suppressing the deterioration of the vibration isolation effect. A large opening for improving drainability can be formed.

  Further, the bottom wall of the inner panel is composed of a shallow bottom part, a deep bottom part and a connecting slope part along the shallow bottom part, deep part and connecting slope part of the bottom wall of the oil pan body. An area that forms a curved surface is provided in the part that extends over the area, and a large opening that corresponds to the oil strainer is provided in an area that has improved rigidity by forming the curved surface and that is continuous with the opening corresponding to the oil drain hole of the oil pan body. In this way, the oil sucked into the oil strainer during engine operation is guided from the gap between the oil pan body and the inner panel to ensure the oil flow in the gap, and the accumulation of foreign matters in the gap Etc. can be prevented.

  An engine oil pan structure according to a second aspect of the present invention is the engine pan structure according to the first aspect, wherein an oil pan inward is formed in a part of a connecting inclined portion adjacent to an oil drain hole of a bottom wall of the oil pan main body. A bulging three-dimensional curved surface portion is formed.

  In this case, the connecting inclined portion of the bottom wall of the oil pan body adjacent to the oil drain hole is formed with an opening in the inner panel corresponding to the oil drain hole, and the oil pan body and the inner panel are formed in the part close to the opening. The anti-vibration effect by the oil in the gap between them (the anti-vibration effect by the inner panel) is reduced, but by forming a three-dimensional curved surface part in the part of the connecting inclined part close to this oil drain hole, The rigidity of the oil pan body can be increased, and the effect of suppressing the membrane vibration can be enhanced by compensating for the decrease in the vibration isolation effect by the inner panel.

  An engine oil pan structure according to a third aspect of the present invention is the engine pan according to the first or second aspect, wherein a plurality of beads are formed on a side wall of the oil pan main body, and the inner panel is formed of the oil pan main body. A bottom wall that forms a slight gap along the bottom wall and a flange portion that rises from the periphery of the bottom wall along the side wall of the oil pan body to cover only the lower part of the oil pan body. It is characterized by being welded and fixed to the oil pan at the side weld seating surface formed on the flange portion.

  Since the bottom wall of the oil pan body needs to be flat to some extent in order to ensure the flow of oil to the oil strainer, no beads or the like can be provided to increase rigidity. A bead can be provided to increase rigidity and suppress membrane vibration. If the membrane vibration of the side wall of the oil pan main body can be suppressed by the bead as described above, the inner panel may cover at least only the bottom wall, and a bottom wall that creates a slight gap along the bottom wall of the oil pan main body. And a flange portion that rises from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall along the side wall of the oil pan body so as to cover only the lower part of the oil pan body, and the side weld seating surface formed on the flange portion It can be configured to be welded and fixed to the pan body, thereby suppressing an increase in weight, an increase in cost, and the like.

  An oil pan structure for an engine according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the structure according to the third aspect, wherein the side weld seating surface is stepped outwardly with respect to the flange portion along the peripheral edge of the flange portion. A plurality of discontinuously formed, and a slight gap is formed between the side wall of the oil pan and the flange portion of the inner panel due to a step difference with respect to the flange portions of the plurality of side welded seating surfaces. .

  In this case, the inner panel is welded and fixed to the oil pan body at a plurality of side welded seat surfaces formed stepwise outwardly with respect to the flange part along the periphery of the flange part. A predetermined gap can be reliably ensured between the side wall and the flange portion of the inner panel.

  As apparent from the above description, according to the oil pan structure of the engine according to the present invention, the inner panel is made of a metal plate, and the oil is introduced between the inner wall surface of the oil pan body and the inner panel. It is possible to ensure the drainage of the oil pan with a double structure that forms a gap to ensure the fluidity of the oil in the gap between the oil pan body and the inner panel, and to deposit foreign matter or the like in the gap. Can be prevented, the effect of suppressing the membrane vibration by the oil in the slight gap between the oil pan main body and the inner panel can be enhanced, and the reduction of the radiated sound can be effectively reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 4 show an example of an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a plan view of the oil pan, FIG. 2 is a side view of the oil pan, FIG. 3 is a front view of the oil pan, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

  This embodiment is an oil pan for an automobile engine, and more specifically, a dual engine provided on the lower surface of a cylinder block of an engine mounted with an inclined rear slant in an engine room of a 4WD 2WD switching type automobile. An oil pan with a structure. 1-4, 1 is an oil pan and 2 is a cylinder block. 3 is a clutch portion of the transmission, 4 is a unit of a 4WD 2WD switching mechanism, and 5 is a center rod of a steering mechanism. And 6 is an oil strainer and 7 is a suction pipe. 1 and 2, the left side is the front side (front side) of the engine, and the right side is the rear side (rear side) of the engine. The center of the engine is tilted backward with respect to the horizontal direction L as indicated by a one-dot chain line T in FIG.

  This engine is a vertical slant as described above, and an oil return hole (not shown) is provided at the rearmost part of a cylinder head (not shown). An oil return passage 8 communicating with the oil return hole is provided at the rearmost portion of the cylinder block 2.

  The oil pan 1 is substantially similar to at least the bottom wall 12 of the oil pan main body 11 so that a slight gap s is formed between the oil pan main body 11 and the inner wall surface of the oil pan main body 11. A shaped inner panel 21 is provided.

  The oil pan main body 11 connects a shallow bottom portion 12a that forms a substantially flat bottom surface with a bottom wall 12 to a deep bottom portion 12b that forms a substantially flat bottom surface, and the shallow bottom portion 12a and the deep bottom portion 12b. It has the connection inclination part 12c which comprises the bottom face inclined with respect to the bottom face of the shallow bottom part 12a and the deep bottom part 12b. A plurality of beads 14 are formed on the side wall 13 (13a to 13d) of the oil pan main body 11 in the vertical direction over the entire circumference.

  Further, the bottom wall 12 of the oil pan body 11 has a curved portion (region forming a curved surface) 15 that bulges outward in a two-dimensional view in a side view at a portion extending between the connecting inclined portion 12c and the deep bottom portion 12b. An oil drain hole 16 (see FIG. 1) is formed at a boundary portion between the connecting inclined portion 12 c and the deep bottom portion 12 b in the curved portion 15, and a drain cock 17 is disposed in the oil drain hole 16.

  The bottom wall 12 of the oil pan body 11 is formed with a three-dimensional curved surface portion 18 that bulges inward of the oil pan 1 in a part of the connecting inclined portion 12 c close to the oil drain hole 16. The three-dimensional curved surface portion 18 corresponds to a portion where the bent center rod 5 interferes with the connecting inclined portion 12c of the bottom wall 12 of the oil pan 1, and avoids interference with the center rod 5 by the curved surface shape of this portion. Yes.

  The inner panel 21 is made of a steel plate, and has a shallow bottom portion 22a, a deep bottom portion 22b, and a connecting inclined portion 22c along the shallow bottom portion 12a, the deep bottom portion 12b, and the connecting inclined portion 12c of the bottom wall 12 of the oil pan body 11. A bottom wall 22 that creates a slight gap s along the bottom wall 12 of the oil pan body 11, and rises from the periphery of the bottom wall 22 so as to form a slight gap s along the side wall 13 (13 a to 13 d) of the oil pan body 11. The flange portion 23 is formed into a shape that covers only the lower portion of the oil pan body 11 with the bottom wall 22 and the flange portion 23, and the flange portion 23 is a bead of the side wall 13 (13 a to 13 d) of the oil pan body 11. It is formed in a waveform according to the shape of 14.

  And the bottom wall 22 of the inner panel 21 is the engine front of the shallow bottom part 12a which diagonally opposes the 1st corner part 19A on the right side of the engine front view of the deep bottom part 12b in the four corners of the substantially rectangular oil pan body 11. A notch 24 is formed in a corner portion corresponding to the second corner portion 19B on the left side of the view, and the bottom surface of the oil pan body 11 is not covered with the inner panel 21 at the notch 24 portion, and the oil return of the cylinder block 2 is The oil flowing down from the passage 8 is configured to actively flow into the gap s between the bottom surface of the oil pan body 11 and the inner panel 21.

  Then, at the edge of the notch 24, a bottom portion that is stepped downward with respect to the bottom wall 22 (shallow bottom portion 22 a) of the inner panel 21 and inclined obliquely downward toward the first corner portion 19 A of the oil pan body 11. A welding seat surface 25A is formed.

  A portion of the bottom wall 12 of the oil pan body 11 corresponding to the inclined bottom welded seating surface 25A of the inner panel 21 has an inclined surface 20a inclined in the same direction as the bottom welded seating surface 25A. This inclined surface 20a is formed by a three-dimensional curved surface portion 20 formed by bulging the bottom wall 12 of the oil pan body 11 inward so as to avoid interference with the unit 4 of the 4WD 2WD switching mechanism. .

  In addition, the bottom wall 22 of the inner panel 21 is a curved portion that bulges outward in a side view along the curved portion 15 of the oil pan body 11 at a portion extending between the connecting inclined portion 22c and the deep bottom portion 22b. An oil drain hole 16 of the oil pan main body 11 and an oil strainer 6 disposed close to the oil drain hole 16 and facing the deep bottom portion 22b. Correspondingly, the bottom wall 22 of the inner panel 21 does not cover the oil drain hole 16, and the oil strainer 6 is positive from the gap s between the bottom wall 12 of the oil pan body 11 and the inner panel 21. A series of substantially inverted L-shaped openings 27 are formed in a plan view so as to suck in oil.

  The bottom wall 22 of the inner panel 21 has one portion on the bottom surface of the deep bottom portion 22b close to the first corner portion 19A of the oil pan body 11 and the side wall 13a of the oil pan body 11 on both sides of the first corner portion 19A. , 13b, the inclined bottom weld seating surface 25A is provided at three locations, one on the bottom wall 22 of the inner panel 21 adjacent to each other, the left side of the deep bottom 22b and the right side of the shallow bottom 22a. The processing reference surfaces 28A, 28B, and 28C, which are the processing reference for machining after press molding, are formed diagonally. Further, in the bottom wall 22 of the inner panel 21, as shown in FIG. 2 with respect to the bottom wall 22 (shallow bottom portion 22a) of the inner panel 21 at the rearmost right side of the shallow bottom portion 22a adjacent to the notch 24 in the front view. Another bottom weld seating surface 25B that is stepped downward is formed.

  Further, the inner panel 21 includes flanges of the inner panel 21 corresponding to the side wall 13a on the front side adjacent to the first corner portion 19A of the oil pan main body 11, the side wall 13b on the right side in front view, and the side wall 13d on the left side in front view. Along the periphery of the portion 23, there are discontinuities in a total of six locations, one location corresponding to the front side wall 13a, three locations corresponding to the right side wall 13b and two locations corresponding to the left side wall 13d in front view. Side welded seating surfaces 29A to 29F are formed. These side welded seat surfaces 29A to 29F are all formed stepwise outward with respect to the flange portion 23 as shown in the cross-sectional structure of the front side welded seat surface 29A shown in FIG. A predetermined gap dimension (for example, 3 mm) between the side wall 13 (13a to 13d) of the oil pan body 11 and the flange portion 23 of the inner panel 21 due to a difference in the flange portions 23 of the plurality of side welded seating surfaces 29A to 29F. The gap s is formed.

  In this embodiment, the bottom weld seat surface 25A inclined obliquely downward toward the first corner portion 19A of the oil pan body 11 of the inner panel 21 is used as the inclined surface of the bottom wall 12 (shallow bottom portion 12a) of the oil pan body 11. By pressing against 20a, the position of the inner panel 21 is determined in a state in which the side welded seating surfaces 29A to 29D of the flange portion 23 are in contact with both side walls 13a and 13b adjacent to the first corner portion 25A of the oil pan body 11. In this state, a required gap s is secured between the side wall 13 of the oil pan main body 11 and the flange portion 23 of the inner panel 21 due to the difference in level between the flange portions 23 of the six side welded bearing surfaces 29A to 29F. . In this state, the inner panel 21 is welded and fixed to the oil pan main body 11 with the two bottom welded seating surfaces 25A and 25B and the six side welded seating surfaces 29A to 29F.

  The embodiment has been described with reference to the illustrated example. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various embodiments are of course possible.

It is a top view of the oil pan which shows an example of embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of an oil pan showing an example of an embodiment of the invention. It is a front view of an oil pan showing an example of an embodiment of the invention. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Oil pan 6 Oil strainer 8 Oil return channel | path 11 Oil pan main body 12 Bottom wall of oil pan main body 12a Shallow bottom part 12b Deep bottom part 12c Connection inclination part 13 Side wall of oil pan main body 14 Bead 15 Curved part (area | region which makes curved surface)
16 Oil drain hole 18 Three-dimensional curved surface portion 21 Inner panel 22 Bottom wall of inner panel 22a Shallow bottom portion 22b Deep bottom portion 22c Connection inclined portion 23 Flange portion 24 Notch 26 Curved portion (region forming curved surface)
27 Opening 28A, 28B, 28C Processing reference surface 29A, 29B, 29C, 29D, 29E, 29F Side weld seating surface s Gap

Claims (4)

An oil pan for an engine in which an inner panel having a shape substantially similar to at least the bottom wall of the oil pan body is disposed in the oil pan body made of a metal plate so that a slight gap is generated between the oil pan body and the inner wall surface of the oil pan body. Structure,
The inner panel is supported by the oil pan body at the periphery,
The bottom wall of the oil pan main body constitutes a shallow, substantially flat bottom surface, a deep bottom portion constituting a substantially flat bottom surface, and the shallow bottom portion and the deep bottom portion are connected to each other. And a connecting inclined portion that constitutes a bottom surface that is inclined with respect to the bottom surface of
The bottom wall of the oil pan main body has a region having a curved surface at a portion extending between the connecting inclined portion and the deep bottom portion, and a boundary portion between the connecting inclined portion and the deep bottom portion in the region forming the curved surface. An oil drain hole is formed,
The bottom wall of the inner panel has a shallow bottom portion, a deep bottom portion, and a connecting inclined portion that are shaped along the shallow bottom portion, the deep bottom portion, and the connecting inclined portion of the bottom wall of the oil pan body,
The bottom wall of the inner panel has a region having a curved surface at a portion extending between the connecting inclined portion and the deep bottom portion, and the oil drain hole and the oil drain hole of the oil pan body are formed in the region forming the curved surface. An oil pan structure for an engine, characterized in that an opening is formed corresponding to an oil strainer arranged close to and facing a deep bottom portion. 2. The engine oil according to claim 1, wherein a three-dimensional curved surface portion bulging inward of the oil pan is formed in a part of a connecting inclined portion of the bottom wall of the oil pan body adjacent to the oil drain hole. Bread structure. A plurality of beads are formed on the side wall of the oil pan body, and the inner panel has a bottom wall that forms a slight gap along the bottom wall of the oil pan body and a margin along the side wall of the oil pan body from the periphery of the bottom wall. A flange portion that rises so as to generate a gap is formed so as to cover only the lower portion of the oil pan main body, and is welded and fixed to the oil pan main body at a side welding seating surface formed on the flange portion. The engine oil pan structure according to claim 1 or 2. A plurality of the side weld seating surfaces are formed discontinuously along the outer periphery of the flange portion with respect to the flange portion, and the oil due to the step difference between the plurality of side weld seating surfaces with respect to the flange portion. The engine oil pan structure according to claim 3, wherein a slight gap is formed between a side wall of the pan body and a flange portion of the inner panel.

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