JPH04179811A - Oil pan structure for engine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To restrain an oil level inside a strainer chamber from being lowered and prevent air from being sucked into a lubrication system by providing an oil dam mechanism constituting of a dam plate, which is opened or closed by floats, in the peripheral portion of an oil sump chamber for an oil strainer inside an oil pan. CONSTITUTION:In the upper end portion 10a of a front wall 10 of a strainer chamber 9, a dam plate 6 fixed to a front gentle slope surface 1a of an oil pan 1 with a hinge 7 is disposed rotatably on the hinge 7 over a width of the oil pan 1, and a plurality of floats 5 are attached to the fore end portion 6a of the dam plate 6. In the case of an inclined oil surface 20 inside the oil pan 1 on a downward slope or at the time of rapid deceleration as indicated by a dashed line 21, the floats 5 float up on the oil surface, as shown by a reference numeral 5a, so that the dam plate 6 rises up in a position designated by a reference numeral 6a so as to dam oil outflow toward the direction F, as illustrated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the oil level from being lowered, an oil strainer suction port 3 from being exposed to the atmosphere so as to eliminate any mixture of air into oil, and any shortage of oil supply to a lubrication system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an oil pan structure for a vehicle engine. This invention relates to a device that prevents the oil strainer from becoming lower than the oil suction port of the oil strainer.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, when a vehicle is climbing or descending, the engine tilts toward the rear or front of the vehicle, causing the oil in the oil pan to move back and forth, and also when the vehicle suddenly accelerates or decelerates. Sometimes, during deceleration, similar to the above-mentioned time of climbing, oil moves within the oil pan similar to the above-mentioned dismounting, and for this reason, the oil level in the oil storage chamber for the oil strainer (hereinafter referred to as the strainer chamber) in the oil pan decreases. height changes.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an engine that is commonly used in vehicles and is installed vertically and has an oil reservoir chamber for an oil strainer at the rear of the oil pan. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an oil pan, and a strainer chamber 9 is provided at the rear of the oil pan, into which an oil strainer 2 opens an oil strainer suction port 3, and is connected to an oil pump (not shown) through an oil suction pipe 4.
The oil is distributed to each part of the engine. 10 is the front wall of the straining chamber 9, and 11 is the rear wall. At 20, the engine is running and oil is being distributed to various parts.
This shows the oil level at the minimum allowable oil level when the oil level is less than the amount initially in the oil pan before operation, and this is the oil level at the oil strainer suction port 3 when the engine is held horizontally. The oil [i20 is located at a higher position than the above], but when the engine leans forward or decelerates, the oil moves forward in the oil pan 1, and the oil level is, for example, at the point 21 shown by the dashed line in the figure. At this point, a part of the oil strainer suction port 3 comes out above the oil level, and air is sucked in from here, resulting in insufficient oil supply to each lubricating part of the engine. happens. In this case, when the engine tilts backward or when accelerating, the oil level moves to position 22 shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure, and at this time, the oil level moves to position 22 in the strainer chamber 9.
is located at the rear of the oil pan L, the rear wall 11 of the strainer chamber is high, and the upper edge 11a of the rear wall is higher than the upper edge 10a of the front wall, and as shown in the figure, the strainer suction port 3 is exposed outside the oil. There's nothing to do.

In order to prevent the above-mentioned oil shortage phenomenon, various devices have been proposed in the past. For example, in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 1-166205, the strainer chamber in the oil pan is partitioned by partition walls, and each partition wall is connected to the other. It is disclosed that a passage is provided and an opening/closing body is provided that opens the communicating passage only in the direction of flowing into the strainer chamber.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The above-mentioned conventional technology (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-166205) adjusts the height of the oil level and prevents its drop by opening and closing the opening/closing body when climbing or descending a slope or when accelerating or decelerating.
This adjustment is always performed while the opening/closing body pushes the oil away against the viscosity of the oil, so it takes a while for the effect to take effect, causing air to be sucked in, especially at low temperatures or when the oil level is low. That tendency is strong. Furthermore, if oil residue or the like accumulates in the oil pan, the flow of oil will become poor, and this tendency will become stronger, resulting in an oil shortage. Further, since a partition wall and an opening/closing body are provided in the oil pan, the device becomes complicated and heavy.

In order to solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism that quickly responds to changes when a vehicle climbs or descends a slope or accelerates or decelerates suddenly, and effectively prevents a drop in the oil level. do.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an oil dam mechanism consisting of a dam plate that opens and closes with a float around the oil reservoir chamber for an oil strainer in an oil pan attached to the lower end of a cylinder of a vehicle engine. Provides an engine oil pan structure.

In addition, for the same purpose, for vertical engines having an oil reservoir chamber for an oil strainer at the rear of the oil pan, a partition plate that can be opened and closed by the float is provided at the upper edge of the front wall of the oil reservoir chamber for the oil strainer. It's good to do that.

[For production]

If the oil level in the strainer chamber fluctuates when the engine is tilted or when the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating, the float attached to the dam plate will always float on the oil level, making it difficult to open and close the dam plate. This is done quickly, and the flow of oil in the strainer chamber is dammed by the dam plate, suppressing the drop in the oil level in the strainer chamber, and preventing the oil suction port of the strainer from being filled with air. The lubricating oil is prevented from being sucked into the lubricating oil system path through the suction port, and no oil shortage occurs in the system path.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows a plan view thereof. Components common to those in FIG. 4 shown above are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The figure shows an example in which a strainer chamber 9 is installed at the rear of the oil pan 1 in a vehicle similar to that shown in FIG. 4, which is placed vertically.

The oil strainer 2 has a suction port 3 and a suction pipe 4,
The oil level when the oil amount normally decreases is 20, and the suction port 3 is open in the oil. On the upper edge 10a of the front wall 10 of the strainer chamber 9, a damming plate 6 attached to the front gentle slope 1a of the oil pan 1 by a hinge 7 is attached to the upper edge 10a of the front wall 10 of the strainer chamber 9. A plurality of floats 5 are attached to the front edge 6a of the float.

FIG. 3 shows how the oil level changes due to the operation of the dam plate 6 constructed as described above.

When the oil level in the oil pan 1 is tilted to the oil level indicated by the dashed line 21 as shown in FIG. In order to float up as shown at 5a, the dam plate 6 rises to the position 6a and blocks the outflow of oil to the front F as shown in the figure. This prevents a drop in the oil level, prevents the oil strainer suction port 3 from opening into the air, prevents air from entering the oil, and prevents insufficient supply of oil to the lubrication system. At this time, if the dam plate 6 and the float 5 were not present, the oil level would drop as shown in FIG. 4, and the strainer suction port 3 would be exposed to the air.

Note that a stopper 8 is provided to prevent the dam plate 6 from opening excessively after rising.

With the above configuration, when the engine is tilted or the vehicle is accelerated or decelerated, the height of the oil level 20 is adjusted by the plate 6 by using the action of the float 5 floating above the oil level. In addition, there is little resistance to this movement, and the opening/closing operation of the dam plate 6 is carried out easily.There is no time delay as in the case of the prior art described above, and the oil level is quickly controlled to a predetermined height. Exposure of the strainer suction port to the air can be avoided. Furthermore, the device is relatively simple and can be easily installed to match the shape of the slope and side wall of the oil pan.

Although the above embodiment describes an engine installed vertically in a vehicle with the strainer chamber located at the rear of the oil pan, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned type of engine; This applies to various types of engines within the scope defined in the above.

〔Effect of the invention〕

By implementing the present invention, the following effects can be achieved.

(1) When the engine is tilted or when the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating, the dam plate prevents the oil level in the strainer chamber from dropping and prevents air from being sucked into the lubrication system.

(2) The structure is simple, and by using the float, the oil level drop can be quickly and accurately controlled in response to changes in the situation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 3 show embodiments of the present invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the oil pan structure, Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, and Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section showing the operation of the oil level drop prevention lid. FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal sectional view of an example of a conventional oil pan structure. 1...Oil pan, 5...Float, 6...
- Dam plate, 9... Oil reservoir chamber for oil strainer, 10a... Upper edge of front wall.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An oil damming mechanism consisting of a damming plate that opens and closes with a float is provided around the oil reservoir chamber for an oil strainer in an oil pan attached to the lower end of a cylinder of a vehicle engine. The oil pan structure of the engine. 2. In a vertical engine having an oil reservoir chamber for an oil strainer at the rear of the oil pan, a dam plate that opens and closes with the float is provided on the upper edge of the front wall of the oil reservoir chamber for the oil strainer. Oil pan structure of the engine described in item 1.