JP7431655B2 - Oil lubrication mechanism - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an oil lubrication mechanism.

Patent Document 1 discloses that an oil pump driven by a crankshaft is provided. Further, Patent Document 1 discloses that the oil pump is provided with a relief valve that relieves surplus oil from a discharge passage, and that an oil jet hole is formed in the relief valve. According to Patent Document 1, surplus oil in the discharge passage can be injected toward the timing chain by the oil jet hole.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-282830

However, the oil jet hole of Patent Document 1 always continues to inject the oil jet toward the timing chain while the pressure in the discharge passage of the oil pump is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. At this time, more than the appropriate amount of oil continues to be supplied to the timing chain, resulting in loss of oil that exceeds the appropriate amount.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an oil lubrication mechanism that can reduce oil loss.

In order to solve the above problems, the oil lubrication mechanism of the present invention accommodates an inner rotor connected to the crankshaft of an engine, an outer rotor that meshes with the inner rotor, and an inner rotor and an outer rotor. an oil pump having a case body formed with an insertion hole for insertion, an oil seal disposed in the insertion hole, a crankshaft, a case body , an oil seal, and an inner rotor; and an oil chamber in which a portion of the oil whose pressure has increased due to the reduction in the gap leaks from the gap between the meshing part of the outer rotor and the outer rotor, and a communication hole formed in the case body that communicates the oil chamber with the outside of the case body. , a rotating member disposed in the oil chamber, connected to the inner rotor or the crankshaft, and formed with a closing portion that closes a communication hole and an opening that opens the communication hole.

The rotary structure is connected to a crankshaft and has a through hole formed on an extension of the communication hole, and at least a part of the opening of the rotary member has the same phase as the through hole of the rotary structure. Good too.

It includes a suction passage formed in the case body, a relief passage formed in the case body and connecting the oil chamber and the suction passage, and a relief valve disposed in the relief passage, and the opening of the rotating member is closed. When the portion closes the communication hole, it may communicate with the relief passage.

According to the present invention, oil loss can be reduced.

FIG. 1 is a first schematic sectional view showing the configuration of the oil lubrication mechanism of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a second schematic sectional view showing the configuration of the oil lubrication mechanism of this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the rotating member of this embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in these embodiments are merely illustrative to facilitate understanding of the invention, and do not limit the invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and the drawings, elements with substantially the same functions and configurations are given the same reference numerals to omit redundant explanation, and elements not directly related to the present invention are omitted from illustration. do.

FIG. 1 is a first schematic sectional view showing the configuration of an oil lubrication mechanism 10 of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a second schematic sectional view showing the configuration of the oil lubrication mechanism 10 of this embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the oil lubrication mechanism 10 includes a crankshaft 20, a crank angle sensor plate (rotating structure) 30, an oil pump 40, and a gear train (lubricated member) 50.

The crankshaft 20 is provided in an engine (not shown) and is rotationally driven by the engine.

The crank angle sensor plate 30 has a roughly disk shape. The crank angle sensor plate 30 is arranged on a side of the oil pump 40 that is remote from an engine (not shown). The inner peripheral end of the crank angle sensor plate 30 is attached to the crankshaft 20. The crank angle sensor plate 30 rotates integrally with the crankshaft 20.

A plurality of teeth (not shown) are formed on the outer peripheral end of the crank angle sensor plate 30. A crank angle sensor (not shown) is provided opposite the plurality of teeth. The crank angle sensor detects the crank angle of the crankshaft 20 based on changes in the magnetic field due to the separation and separation of a plurality of teeth.

A through hole 32 is formed in the crank angle sensor plate 30 between an inner peripheral end and an outer peripheral end to reduce weight. A plurality of through holes 32 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the crank angle sensor plate 30. In this embodiment, the crank angle sensor plate 30 has five through holes 32 arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the crank angle sensor plate 30 may have a single through hole 32 or a plurality of through holes 32 other than five. The plurality of through holes 32 are set to have approximately the same distance from the rotation center axis of the crank angle sensor plate 30. The through hole 32 passes through the crank angle sensor plate 30 in the direction of the central axis of the crankshaft 20.

The oil pump 40 is attached to a cylinder block of an engine (not shown), and is arranged between the crank angle sensor plate 30 and the cylinder block. In the oil pump 40, an inner rotor 42, which will be described later, is rotationally driven by the rotation of the crankshaft 20. The detailed configuration of the oil pump 40 will be described later.

The gear train 50 is arranged on a side of the crank angle sensor plate 30 that is remote from an engine (not shown). A crank angle sensor plate 30 is arranged between the gear train 50 and the oil pump 40. Gear train 50 includes a first gear 52 and a second gear 54. An inner peripheral end of the first gear 52 is attached to the crankshaft 20. The first gear 52 rotates integrally with the crankshaft 20.

The inner peripheral end of the second gear 54 is attached to a camshaft of an engine (not shown). The second gear 54 rotates integrally with the camshaft. The second gear 54 meshes with the first gear 52 and is connected to the first gear 52 via a meshing portion 56 . The second gear 54 rotates as the first gear 52 rotates. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the gear train 50 may include a third gear (not shown) provided between the first gear 52 and the second gear 54. That is, the second gear 54 may be connected to the first gear 52 via the third gear. The third gear may be a single gear or may include multiple gears.

Next, the configuration of the oil pump 40 will be explained in detail. The oil pump 40 includes an inner rotor 42, an outer rotor 44, a case body 46, and an oil seal 48.

The inner rotor 42 has a roughly annular shape. An inner peripheral end of the inner rotor 42 is connected to the crankshaft 20. The inner rotor 42 rotates integrally with the crankshaft 20. The outer peripheral end of the inner rotor 42 is formed into a trochoidal tooth shape.

The outer rotor 44 has a roughly annular shape. The inner peripheral end of the outer rotor 44 is formed into a trochoidal tooth shape. The inner diameter of the outer rotor 44 is larger than the outer diameter of the inner rotor 42. The outer rotor 44 is arranged on the outer diameter side of the inner rotor 42. The rotation center of the outer rotor 44 is eccentric from the rotation center of the inner rotor 42. The inner peripheral end (trochoidal tooth profile) of the outer rotor 44 meshes with the outer peripheral end (trochoidal tooth profile) of the inner rotor 42 . The outer rotor 44 rotates while being meshed with the inner rotor 42 as the inner rotor 42 rotates.

The case body 46 is attached to a cylinder block of an engine (not shown). The case body 46 is formed with an insertion hole 46a, a suction passage 46b, a housing portion 46c, a discharge passage 46d, an oil chamber 46e, and a communication hole 46f.

The crankshaft 20 is inserted into the insertion hole 46a. A gap is formed in the radial direction between the insertion hole 46a and the crankshaft 20, and the crankshaft 20 is configured to be rotatable relative to the insertion hole 46a.

Oil is supplied to the suction passage 46b from an oil tank (not shown). The oil tank is arranged outside the engine (not shown). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and oil may be supplied to the suction passage 46b from an oil pan inside the engine (not shown). The suction passage 46b communicates with the accommodating portion 46c and guides the supplied oil to the accommodating portion 46c.

The accommodating portion 46c accommodates the inner rotor 42 and the outer rotor 44 so as to be relatively rotatable. As described above, since the inner rotor 42 and the outer rotor 44 are eccentric, a gap 46g whose size changes along the rotation direction is formed at the meshing portion of the inner rotor 42 and outer rotor 44. A suction passage 46b and a discharge passage 46d communicate with the gap 46g.

The suction passage 46b communicates with a region of the gap 46g that increases in size along the rotation direction. As a result, when the inner rotor 42 and the outer rotor 44 rotate, the pressure of the oil in the gap 46g decreases as the gap 46g expands, and oil is sucked into the gap 46g from the suction passage 46b.

The discharge passage 46d communicates with a region of the gap 46g whose size decreases along the rotation direction. When the inner rotor 42 and the outer rotor 44 rotate, the oil in the gap 46g is compressed and the pressure increases as the gap 46g decreases, and the oil with the increased pressure is discharged from the gap 46g into the discharge passage 46d. The discharge passage 46d communicates with an oil gallery (not shown) formed in an engine (not shown), and guides the oil discharged from the gap 46g to the oil gallery.

The oil seal 48 is arranged between the insertion hole 46a of the case body 46 and the crankshaft 20. The oil seal 48 seals off oil passing between the insertion hole 46a and the crankshaft 20. In other words, the oil seal 48 suppresses oil leaking to the outside of the oil pump 40 from between the insertion hole 46a and the crankshaft 20. The oil seal 48 is attached to the insertion hole 46a, and slides on the outer peripheral surface of the crankshaft 20 when the crankshaft 20 rotates. The oil seal 48 is disposed to face the inner rotor 42 and to be spaced apart from it in the direction of the central axis of the crankshaft 20 .

By disposing the oil seal 48, an oil chamber 46e defined by the inner rotor 42, the case body 46, the crankshaft 20, and the oil seal 48 is formed. The oil chamber 46e is formed between the oil seal 48 and the inner rotor 42 in the central axis direction of the crankshaft 20, and between the crankshaft 20 and the case body 46 in the radial direction of the crankshaft 20. .

A portion of the oil whose pressure has increased due to the reduction in the gap 46g leaks into the oil chamber 46e through the gap between the inner rotor 42 and the case body 46.

The case body 46 is formed with a communication hole 46f that communicates the inside and the outside of the case body 46. Although one communication hole 46f is formed in the case body 46 in FIGS. 1 and 2, the case body 46 is not limited to this, and a plurality of communication holes 46f may be formed in the case body 46. The communication hole 46f communicates the oil chamber 46e with the external space of the case body 46. Normally, the pressure of the oil in the oil chamber 46e is higher than the pressure (atmospheric pressure) in the external space of the case body 46. Therefore, the oil in the oil chamber 46e is injected into the external space through the communication hole 46f.

The through hole 32 of the crank angle sensor plate 30 and the gear train 50 are arranged on an extension of the central axis of the communication hole 46f. Therefore, the oil injected from the communication hole 46f is supplied to, for example, the meshing portion 56 of the gear train 50 via the through hole 32. The oil supplied to the meshing portion 56 of the gear train 50 lubricates the meshing portion 56.

By the way, if the amount of oil supplied to the meshing portion 56 of the gear train 50 exceeds the appropriate amount, the oil that exceeds the appropriate amount becomes a loss. Furthermore, if more than an appropriate amount of oil adheres to the gear train 50, the adhered oil may become a resistance to the gear train 50. Furthermore, if oil with increased pressure continues to be injected into the gear train 50, there is a risk that the gear train 50 will wear out.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the through hole 32 of the crank angle sensor plate 30 is arranged between the communication hole 46f and the gear train 50. Therefore, the oil injected from the communication hole 46f can reach the gear train 50 via the through hole 32. However, the crank angle sensor plate 30 rotates integrally with the crankshaft 20. Therefore, depending on the rotation angle of the crankshaft 20, the oil injected from the communication hole 46f may be blocked by a portion of the crank angle sensor plate 30 other than the through hole 32, and may not be able to reach the gear train 50. The oil blocked by the crank angle sensor plate 30 is unable to lubricate the gear train 50 and falls vertically downward due to gravity, resulting in a loss of oil.

Therefore, the oil pump 40 of this embodiment includes a rotating member 60. The rotating member 60 has a roughly annular shape and is arranged in the oil chamber 46e. The detailed configuration of the rotating member 60 will be described below.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the rotating member 60 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the rotating member 60 includes an engagement hole 62, a closing portion 64, and an opening 66. The engagement hole 62 is formed at the inner peripheral end of the rotating member 60.

The engagement hole 62 is inserted into the shaft portion of the inner rotor 42 and engaged with the shaft portion of the inner rotor 42 . When the engagement hole 62 engages with the shaft portion of the inner rotor 42, the rotating member 60 rotates integrally with the inner rotor 42 and the crankshaft 20. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the engagement hole 62 may be inserted into the crankshaft 20 and engaged with the outer circumferential surface of the crankshaft 20.

The closing portion 64 includes an outer peripheral surface 64 a formed at the outer peripheral end of the rotating member 60 . Further, the opening 66 includes an opening 66a formed at the outer peripheral end of the rotating member 60. A plurality of openings 66 are formed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotating member 60. In this embodiment, five openings 66 are formed in the circumferential direction of the rotating member 60. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the rotating member 60 may have only one opening 66 formed in the circumferential direction, or may have a plurality of openings 66 other than five.

The closed portions 64 and the openings 66 are formed alternately in the circumferential direction of the rotating member 60. In this embodiment, a plurality of openings 66 are formed, and the closing part 64 is formed between two adjacent openings 66. In the circumferential direction of the rotating member 60, a closing portion 64 is formed at a position that is out of phase with the opening 66 by 180°. On the contrary, an opening 66 is formed at a position 180° out of phase with the closing portion 64 . The widths of the closing portion 64 and the opening portion 66 in the circumferential direction are set to have the above-mentioned phase relationship. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the opening 66 may be formed at a position 180° out of phase with the opening 66 in the circumferential direction of the rotating member 60, or may be formed at a position 180° out of phase with the closing part 64. A closing portion 64 may be formed.

Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the closing portion 64 and the opening 66 are arranged at positions facing the communication hole 46f in the radial direction. As shown in FIG. 2, when the closing portion 64 faces the communicating hole 46f in the radial direction, the closing portion 64 closes the communicating hole 46f. At this time, a closing portion 64 is disposed between the oil chamber 46e and the communication hole 46f, and the communication state between the oil chamber 46e and the communication hole 46f is interrupted. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, when the opening 66 faces the communication hole 46f in the radial direction, the opening 66 opens the communication hole 46f. At this time, the oil chamber 46e communicates with the communication hole 46f via the opening 66.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the opening 66 of the rotating member 60 is formed so as to be approximately in phase with the through hole 32 of the crank angle sensor plate 30 in the circumferential direction of the crankshaft 20. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, when the opening 66 opens the communication hole 46f, the through hole 32 of the crank angle sensor plate 30 is arranged on an extension of the central axis of the communication hole 46f. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when the closing portion 64 closes the communication hole 46f, a portion of the crank angle sensor plate 30 other than the through hole 32 is arranged on an extension of the central axis of the communication hole 46f. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and at least a portion of the opening 66 may have the same phase as the through hole 32.

When the crankshaft 20 rotates, the rotating member 60 alternately switches between a closed state in which the closing portion 64 closes the communication hole 46f and an open state in which the opening 66 opens the communication hole 46f. Changes to When the opening 66 opens the communication hole 46f, the oil in the oil chamber 46e is injected into the external space of the case body 46 through the opening 66 and the communication hole 46f.

The injected oil passes through the through hole 32 of the crank angle sensor plate 30 and is supplied to the meshing portion 56 of the gear train 50. On the other hand, when the closing portion 64 closes the communication hole 46f, the communication state between the oil chamber 46e and the communication hole 46f is cut off, and oil injection from the communication hole 46f is stopped.

Here, when oil injection from the communication hole 46f is stopped while the oil pump 40 is being driven, the pressure within the oil chamber 46e is increased. At this time, if the pressure within the oil chamber 46e exceeds a certain value, the oil seal 48 may fall off from the case body 46 due to the pressure.

Therefore, the oil pump 40 of this embodiment includes a relief passage 70 and a relief valve 80.

The relief passage 70 is formed in the case body 46 and connects the oil chamber 46e and the suction passage 46b. The relief passage 70 is formed at a position 180° out of phase with the communication hole 46f in the circumferential direction of the crankshaft 20. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the relief passage 70 may be formed at a position where the phase is different from that of the communication hole 46f, and the phase thereof is other than 180°. The relief valve 80 is provided in the relief passage 70 and opens and closes the relief passage 70. The relief valve 80 opens the relief passage 70 when the pressure inside the relief passage 70 is equal to or higher than a threshold value, and closes the relief passage 70 when the pressure inside the relief passage 70 becomes less than the threshold value. Here, the threshold value is a value smaller than the pressure (a constant value) at which the oil seal 48 falls off from the case body 46 by a predetermined value. However, the threshold value only needs to be a value smaller than the pressure at which the oil seal 48 falls off from the case body 46. For example, the threshold value may be a value set as a target pressure when supplying oil to the gear train (lubricated member) 50. good. As a result, when the pressure in the oil chamber 46e exceeds the target pressure while the blocking portion 64 is blocking the communication hole 46f, the relief passage 70 is opened by the relief valve 80, and the pressure in the oil chamber 46e is reduced. , the pressure is adjusted to the above target pressure. Therefore, when the opening 66 opens the communication hole 46f, the pressure of the oil supplied to the gear train 50 can be set to the target pressure.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the closure portion 64 and the opening portion 66 are arranged at positions facing the relief passage 70 in the radial direction. As shown in FIG. 1, when the closing portion 64 faces the relief passage 70 in the radial direction, the closing portion 64 closes the relief passage 70. At this time, a closing portion 64 is disposed between the oil chamber 46e and the relief passage 70, and communication between the oil chamber 46e and the relief passage 70 is interrupted. Here, the closing portion 64 of the rotating member 60 closes the relief passage 70 when the opening 66 opens the communication hole 46f. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when the opening 66 faces the relief passage 70 in the radial direction, the opening 66 opens the relief passage 70. At this time, the oil chamber 46e communicates with the relief passage 70 via the opening 66. Here, the opening 66 of the rotating member 60 communicates with the relief passage 70 when the closing portion 64 closes the communication hole 46f. That is, when oil injection from the communication hole 46f is stopped while the oil pump 40 is being driven, the opening 66 communicates with the relief passage 70. Therefore, when the pressure in the oil chamber 46e is increased to a threshold value or more, the relief passage 70 is opened by the relief valve 80, and the oil with the pressure increased to more than the threshold value passes from the oil chamber 46e through the relief passage 70 and into the suction passage. Reflux to 46b. Thereby, the pressure within the oil chamber 46e can be reduced to less than the threshold value, and the oil seal 48 can be prevented from falling off from the case body 46.

As described above, the oil lubrication mechanism 10 of this embodiment includes the rotating member 60 including the closing portion 64 and the opening portion 66. Thereby, oil can be intermittently supplied to the gear train 50 from the communication hole 46f. By supplying oil intermittently, the amount of oil supplied to the gear train 50 can be brought closer to an appropriate amount than by continuously supplying oil, and oil loss can be reduced.

Furthermore, by supplying oil intermittently, the amount of oil that adheres to the gear train 50 can be reduced compared to when oil is continuously supplied, and the resistance of the gear train 50 due to the adhered oil can be reduced. Can be done. Further, by intermittently supplying oil, wear on the gear train 50 can be reduced more than by continuously supplying oil.

In this embodiment, the phase of the opening 66 of the rotating member 60 is the same as that of the through hole 32 of the crank angle sensor plate 30 in the circumferential direction of the crankshaft 20 . Thereby, the oil injected from the communication hole 46f is blocked by a portion of the crank angle sensor plate 30 other than the through hole 32, and it is possible to prevent the gear train 50 from falling vertically downward due to gravity without being able to lubricate it. As a result, loss of fallen oil can be reduced. Further, wear of the crank angle sensor plate 30 due to oil being supplied to a portion of the crank angle sensor plate 30 other than the through hole 32 can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the opening 66 of the rotating member 60 communicates with the relief passage 70 when the closing portion 64 closes the communication hole 46f. Thereby, the pressure in the oil chamber 46e can be prevented from increasing above a certain value, and the oil seal 48 can be prevented from falling off from the case body 46.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications within the scope of the claims are possible. It goes without saying that modifications or modifications also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the gear train 50 is the destination of oil injected from the communication hole 46f. However, the supply destination of the oil injected from the communication hole 46f is not limited to this, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a lubricated member that is lubricated with oil. For example, it may be a timing chain rotationally driven by the crankshaft 20. It's okay.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the crank angle sensor plate 30 is disposed between the oil pump 40 and the lubricated member (gear train 50). However, the crank angle sensor plate 30 is not an essential component, and the crank angle sensor plate 30 may not be provided. Further, the member disposed between the communication hole 46f and the lubricated member is not limited to the crank angle sensor plate 30, but may be a rotating structure that is disposed between the communication hole 46f and the lubricated member and has the through hole 32. There are no particular restrictions.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the oil pump 40 is provided with the relief passage 70 and the relief valve 80 has been described. However, the relief passage 70 and the relief valve 80 are not essential components, and the relief passage 70 and the relief valve 80 may not be provided.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION This invention can be utilized for an oil lubrication mechanism.

10 Oil lubrication mechanism 20 Crankshaft 30 Crank angle sensor plate (rotating structure)
32 Through hole 40 Oil pump 42 Inner rotor 44 Outer rotor 46 Case body 46a Insertion hole 46b Suction passage 46c Accommodation part 46d Discharge passage 46e Oil chamber 46f Communication hole 48 Oil seal 60 Rotating member 64 Closure part 66 Opening part 70 Relief passage 80 Relief valve

Claims (3)

an inner rotor connected to a crankshaft of an engine; an outer rotor that meshes with the inner rotor; and a case body that houses the inner rotor and the outer rotor and has an insertion hole through which the crankshaft is inserted. an oil pump having ,
an oil seal arranged in the insertion hole;
A portion of oil that is partitioned by the crankshaft, the case body , the oil seal , and the inner rotor, and whose pressure has increased due to the reduction of the gap from the gap between the meshing portion of the inner rotor and the outer rotor. an oil chamber that leaks ,
a communication hole formed in the case body and communicating the oil chamber with the outside of the case body;
a rotating member disposed in the oil chamber, connected to the inner rotor or the crankshaft, and having a closing portion that closes the communication hole and an opening that opens the communication hole;
Oil lubrication mechanism. a rotating structure connected to the crankshaft and having a through hole formed on an extension of the communication hole;
The oil lubrication mechanism according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the opening of the rotating member has the same phase as the through hole of the rotating structure. a suction passage formed in the case body;
a relief passage formed in the case body and connecting the oil chamber and the suction passage;
a relief valve disposed in the relief passage;
Equipped with
The oil lubrication mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opening of the rotating member communicates with the relief passage when the closing portion closes the communication hole.

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