OIL PAN WITH DEDICATED DRAIN FOR POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION
First Claim
1. An oil pan for an engine having a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) drain, the oil pan comprising:
- a pan structure having a bottom wall and a side wall extending from the bottom wall and cooperating with the bottom wall to define a primary reservoir;
a PCV passage defined by the pan structure, and including an inlet disposed at a first elevation, and an outlet disposed at a second elevation, wherein the first elevation is higher than the second elevation relative to the bottom wall;
a PCV reservoir defined by the pan structure and having a lower end disposed in fluid communication with the outlet of the PCV passage at the second elevation relative to the bottom wall, and an upper end disposed at a third elevation relative to the bottom wall and in fluid communication with the primary reservoir of the pan structure;
wherein the third elevation of the upper end of the PCV reservoir is greater than the second elevation of the lower end of the PCV reservoir and the outlet of the PCV passage; and
wherein the third elevation of the upper end of the PCV reservoir is less than the first elevation of the inlet of the PCV passage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An oil pan includes a pan structure forming a primary reservoir, and defining a PCV passage, and a PCV reservoir. The PCV passage includes an inlet for receiving fluid from a PCV drain of an engine block, and an outlet disposed vertically below the inlet of the PCV passage for discharging the fluid received from the PCV drain. The PCV reservoir includes a lower end disposed adjacent the outlet of the PCV passage, and an upper end disposed vertically above the lower end of the PCV reservoir and in fluid communication with the primary reservoir. The PCV passage and the PCV reservoir define a fluid flow path forming a fluid trap at the intersection of the outlet of the PCV passage and the lower end of the PCV reservoir, to keep the outlet of the PCV passage submerged during dynamic operation of the engine.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An oil pan for an engine having a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) drain, the oil pan comprising:
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a pan structure having a bottom wall and a side wall extending from the bottom wall and cooperating with the bottom wall to define a primary reservoir; a PCV passage defined by the pan structure, and including an inlet disposed at a first elevation, and an outlet disposed at a second elevation, wherein the first elevation is higher than the second elevation relative to the bottom wall; a PCV reservoir defined by the pan structure and having a lower end disposed in fluid communication with the outlet of the PCV passage at the second elevation relative to the bottom wall, and an upper end disposed at a third elevation relative to the bottom wall and in fluid communication with the primary reservoir of the pan structure; wherein the third elevation of the upper end of the PCV reservoir is greater than the second elevation of the lower end of the PCV reservoir and the outlet of the PCV passage; and wherein the third elevation of the upper end of the PCV reservoir is less than the first elevation of the inlet of the PCV passage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An engine comprising:
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a block defining a Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) drain; an oil pan attached to the block, the oil pan including; a pan structure forming a primary reservoir, and defining a PCV passage, and a PCV reservoir; wherein the PCV passage includes an inlet for receiving fluid from the PCV drain, and an outlet disposed vertically below the inlet of the PCV passage for discharging the fluid received from the PCV drain; wherein the PCV reservoir includes a lower end disposed adjacent the outlet of the PCV passage, and an upper end disposed vertically above the lower end of the PCV reservoir and in fluid communication with the primary reservoir; wherein the PCV passage and the PCV reservoir define a fluid flow path forming a fluid trap at the intersection of the outlet of the PCV passage and the lower end of the PCV reservoir, to keep the outlet of the PCV passage submerged during dynamic operation of the engine. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification