Crankcase oil catcher with an aperture and seal

• US 10,458,296 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Pegg, Ian Graham, Stark, Roland Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Amick, Jacob M
• Application Number:
  US15/489,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20170321579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/0004 Oilsumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/0033 with special means for guiding the return of oil into the sump
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/005 with special anti-turbulence means, e.g. anti-foaming means or intermediate plates
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/0054 Fastening to the cylinder block
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/0091 characterised by used materials
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/023 between oil sump and cylinder head
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2202/24 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 3/14 Features relating to lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 7/02 Constructions of connecting-rods with constant length
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 9/02 Crankshaft bearings

Abstract

A crankcase oil catcher, the crankcase oil catcher comprising one or more surfaces configured to catch dispersed oil in a crankcase and direct the oil along the surfaces of the crankcase oil catcher away from a crankcase casing wall and towards a crank sump.

Claims

1. A crankcase oil catcher configured to be provided above a crankshaft of an engine and below an associated piston, the crankcase oil catcher comprising:

one or more surfaces configured to catch dispersed oil in a crankcase and direct the oil along the surfaces of the crankcase oil catcher away from a crankcase casing wall and towards a crank sump;

a first aperture for a connecting rod of the associated piston to pass through; and

a seal provided around the first aperture, wherein the seal is configured to seal against the crankcase casing wall around an opening into an engine cylinder in which the associated piston resides and provide a seal between the engine cylinder and a gap between the crankcase oil catcher and the crankcase casing wall,

wherein the crankcase oil catcher further comprises one or more fixing mounts that span the gap.

2. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the first aperture in a direction perpendicular and/or parallel to a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft is equal to or greater than the corresponding width of the associated engine cylinder.

3. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher comprises a first lip disposed about the first aperture and the first lip at least partially forms the seal.

4. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher comprises a sealant applied around the first aperture and the sealant at least partially forms the seal.

5. The crankcase oil catcher of claim 4, wherein the sealant is applied onto the first lip.

6. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher is configured to be spaced apart from the crankcase casing wall.

7. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher is configured to substantially follow the contour of the crankcase casing wall.

8. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 7, wherein the crankcase oil catcher is configured to substantially follow the contour of the crankcase casing wall in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a crankshaft extending through the crankcase.

9. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 7, wherein a gap between the crankcase casing wall and the crankcase oil catcher is between 4 and 10 mm.

10. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher is configured to be provided for a single cylinder of the engine.

11. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher is configured to be provided between walls between neighboring cylinders of the engine.

12. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher comprises one or more second lips provided on one or more edges of the crankcase oil catcher surfaces.

13. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 12, wherein the one or more second lips are provided on edges of the crankcase oil catcher surfaces adjacent to the walls between neighboring cylinders of the engine.

14. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 12, wherein the one or more second lips are provided on edges of the crankcase oil catcher surfaces substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a crankshaft extending through the crankcase.

15. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher comprises a bottom surface, the bottom surface being configured to catch oil dispersed by a crankshaft and/or by a bearing between the crankshaft and a connecting rod.

16. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher comprises a top surface, the top surface being configured to catch oil returning from above the crankcase.

17. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher is made from a low conducting thermally insulating material with a thermal conductivity such that less heat is transferred from the oil on the crankcase oil catcher than would otherwise have been transferred to the crankcase casing wall.

18. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher is made at least in part from a plastics material.

19. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher is made at least in part from nylon.

20. The crankcase oil catcher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crankcase oil catcher is made at least in part from a closed cell foam material.